Gunmetal Lullaby
by Addictive Personality
Summary: Sora was born into the tiny ranks of those blessed with the ability to create a realistic dream. Using this rare gift to build a base of wealthy clientele, Sora was highly revered and sought after. However, when a client dies while in his service, Sora finds himself looking for answers to the event that changed his life forever. ( On Hiatus )
1. Aviary

**A/N: -** Let's see what trouble I can cause this time. To long time readers, it's nice to see you again. For new readers, welcome.

It's been a little while since I finished my last story, so I'm feeling a bit rusty. However, I am curious as to what I can do this time around and it would mean a lot to know if this is something you all enjoy.

As always with my writing, I do not use original characters. Anyone mentioned by name belongs to the Disney, Kingdom Hearts, or Square-Enix universes. So please read, enjoy, and review. It's the best way to make sure this gets continued. See you next time!

* * *

 **Gunmetal Lullaby**

 **Chapter 1**

 **Aviary**

* * *

The mansion that stood off in the distance at the edges of the town was already an elegant and beautiful structure. Chiseled stone and marble made up its multiple stories that gleamed no matter what time of day and whether there was light or not. Yet the rich looking building wasn't what caught the townspeople's attention so much as the pointed cylindrical structure that blossomed alongside the mansion. This cage made of silver that shot towards the sky like a rocket caused everyone to go short of breath at its magnificence.

People referred to it as the "Aviary."

And rightfully so. The Aviary was a domed garden wonderland made to look like a giant birdcage. Exotic greens and flora filled the inside, creating a natural barrier that kept out prying eyes. Despite the clear crystal panels, nobody knew what else there was to this mysterious cage. All one saw was a silver beacon at the edges of town.

So, who lived in this extravagant place? Naturally, it was assumed someone of great importance or wealth would call such a place home. Every so often a series of cars would be seen traveling the winding paths to the mansion, never bothering to stop anywhere in town. Their destination was set, as if the Aviary was the only thing that mattered to those that made it their goal to reach.

Once again, the townspeople were correct. Those that made their way to the mansion were indeed set on their goal. For these people hidden behind the black tinted windows of their cars were important guests. They were wealthy clientele that sought the owner and master of the Aviary.

Sora Cinders Ella was a very unique person. From a physical standpoint he was a thin and youthful looking man of 25. Chocolate spiky hair with hints of burnt orange, bright blue eyes on par with gems, and a pair of lips that adorned a charming pearly white smile. Sora was a handsome man, but one that didn't immediately call for undivided attention. It wasn't his looks that his guests were looking for.

The young man was what the world called a "Dream Sketcher." Sora joined the tiny ranks of those born with the unique ability to create a realistic dream. He wove together an intricate and beautiful dream where his guests could experience their most desired fantasies in a manner that couldn't be distinguished from reality. It was as if they were truly living it. These services, however, came at a steep price and one only those with very deep pockets could afford.

Dream Sketchers were incredibly rare. And for that reason, also some of the most protected people in the world. A special organization was assembled that would recruit and train elite guards to be at their side not only to serve in every day matters, but also in case of potential trouble. They were a Dream Sketcher's right hand man ( or woman ), a person that they entrusted their life to. They were not allowed to use their given names, and were referred to by a color or mineral followed by the uniform code name: "Lullaby."

Sora sat in the very Aviary the townspeople saw every day, his fingers working the pages of a thick book strewn over his lap. The bright green of the trees hanging overhead created a spotted canopy that made patterns on whatever it was he was reading. He seemed slightly aloof, gazing at the writings he himself had written into the pages of what he as a Dream Sketcher called his "Storybook."

A Storybook was an essential tool for a Dream Sketcher as it detailed the dream or fantasy the client wanted. When a new guest came to him it would take an entire session to get the fine tunings to their desire just right. With all the components of their dream in order, Sora would then write in all the details so when his client would return on their next visit, he would have everything perfected for that following session. All Sora had to do at that point was read from the pages and the Dream would manifest itself for the client, allowing them more time to spend in their created world.

"Master Sora."

Blue eyes lifted from the pages of his Storybook and across the flower filled path leading into the mansion. A tall woman wearing a pink bow in her long brown hair bowed her head just a fraction. Sora acknowledged the newcomer with a tilt of his chin.

"Emerald," he said with a small smile, "is it time?"

Aerith, code name: Emerald Lullaby, was Sora's appointed guard and servant. Her bright green eyes and rosy cheeked complexion spoke of a delicate creature. But if her pedigree was anything to go off of, it was a mistake to make such an assumption of her. Emerald was a top tier Lullaby with the stats to prove it. Skilled in hand to hand combat, a master of the Earth Element in magic, and quite the renowned cook.

Even as she stood there in her pink dress and an asymmetrical coat buttoned up to the collar the same color as her code name, Emerald's facial expression never once showed an inkling of unneeded emotion. It wasn't that she couldn't produce it, but the situation at present didn't call for it. Emerald was calm, collected, and very much the epitome of what a Lullaby needed to be.

"Yes Master Sora, Lady Brahne will be arriving shortly. All preparations have been made as instructed. Shall I make more tea in the mean time?"

Sora shook his head then pointed to the silver platter that sat on a small table in front of him. "No, I've had my share for now. Please inform me the minute Lady Brahne arrives."

"Of course," she replied with a bow and then excused herself from the Aviary.

Sora was once again left to his musings and studying of his texts. The sunlight beaming through the treetop canopy fell on a particular word as he read, a small crescent shape siting perfectly underneath it.

"Satisfaction," he read aloud.

Ultimately, it was his job to satisfy his clientele. If his dreams couldn't replicate exactly what they wanted, then his role as Dream Sketcher was called into question. He was indeed a rare creature, just one of perhaps 30 in the entire world, but that also meant his reputation was at stake. There was nothing more embarrassing and potentially dangerous to his career than to have a client that left unsatisfied.

Fortunately for Sora, the handsome man that called the Aviary his home, there was little he needed to worry about. His reputation was world renowned and the intensity of his realistic dreams were incomparable to other Dream Sketchers. The proof was in his wallet, so to speak. Sora was vastly wealthy, all thanks to his talents and numerous clients of similar, if not more affluent status. It was for this reason that "The Cradle", the organization that handled Lullabies, that he received Emerald as his guard. A person of his degree required the best.

It wasn't long after Emerald came to inform Sora of his client arriving shortly that a powerful voice rang throughout the large open foyer of the mansion entrance. Maids and butlers stood in perfect order with their heads slightly bowed as Sora entered from within a hallway to greet the boisterous woman at his doorstep.

"My darling!"

The woman accompanied by an entourage in garishly colorful clothes practically ran to Sora's side and allowed her rotund body to embrace the slender man in her equally voluptuous bosom. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Emerald standing in the shadows of the hallway he came walking out of, her hands placed delicately in front of her. He blinked twice, to which she responded by disappearing back into the darkened corridor.

"My lady, it's so good to see you again," Sora replied after being released by her orangutan-like embrace. "It's always a pleasure to have you here."

"Oh my darling Sora, it has been much too long! I counted down the days with excruciating patience I'll have you know."

Sora produced a small grin. "I understand my lady, but you are aware that I have many others that call upon me for the same service I provide you."

Lady Brahne huffed her thick, bulbous lips in a prissy manner. Their dark shade of purple obviously unnatural and permanently stained that color. "Oh rubbish, I'd gladly pay any amount to have you solely for myself."

Her gaze was like a starving lion ready to pounce. To the random passerby it would be enough to send them into a catatonic state, yet Sora simply laughed and never broke eye contact with the boulder of a woman.

"You must be exhausted after your long flight, I'm sure you're famished. All of your favorites have been prepared if you would be so kind as to accompany me to the dining room."

"Oh yes, please!" Brahne squealed in salivating ecstasy. She gripped Sora's arm and practically carried him into the depths of the mansion, her group of handlers not far behind.

Lady Brahne was the only daughter of a conglomerate supergiant with businesses in every corner of the world. She could fill every ocean with money and still have mountains of if left over. She was Sora's number 1 client, and the most demanding of his services. It wasn't so much the dreams she asked of Sora, but the sheer amount of personality that oozed out of her blue-tinted skin was overwhelming to the point that many could simply not deal with. Other Dream Sketchers couldn't tolerate her, therefore Sora was now the lucky(unlucky?) person she sought out on almost a monthly basis.

"Oh delicious!" She moaned as she fisted food into her mouth. Lady Brahne appeared to have no need to breathe while she ate. If she happened to choke, nobody would be able to tell seeing as her face was already a warty shade of blue. She sat at the end of a large rectangular table, platters of food disappearing the minute they touched her greedy hands.

"I'm so happy you're enjoying the food," Sora said from his end of the table, a glass of sparkling water in hand. "Please, have as much as you like, I made sure the staff had everything you needed."

Brahne gripped a gravy boat full of thick brown liquid and gulped it down before letting out an unflattering belch. "More of the roasted chocobo!"

They ate for the better part of an hour with Lady Brahne only taking time out of her binging to compliment Sora and demand more food. By the time the skies were warming up to a rich orange did Brahne finally call it quits.

"I couldn't have another bite," she said wiping away the remnants of chocolate sauce from her mouth, "you have truly outdone yourself my darling."

"Think nothing of it, my lady. If you'd like to retire for the evening, we can be fully rested for tomorrow's session."

"Oh no," she trilled with an emphatic wave of her hands, "we shall have our session tonight! I'll need to freshen up of course, but don't be silly darling, I am most eager to start."

"If that is your wish, very well then. Your quarters are ready, so please make yourself as comfortable as possible while I prepare the Aviary."

With dinner coming to an end, Brahne and her group of handlers retired to their own exclusive wing of the mansion. Sora let out a sigh as he remained seated at the dining room table.

"Sir," came Emerald's voice, "you've not slept since last night. Is it wise for you to produce a dream this evening?"

He placed a hand against his cheek and rested an elbow on the armchair of his seat. "Emerald, I appreciate the concern as always, but this is nothing. I have Lady Brahne's dream so engrained in my mind I won't have any issues in overexerting myself. I promise I'll rest after tonight's session."

Fantastical as a Dream Sketcher's ability was, it did have its physical and mental strain. An enormous amount of energy was necessary to create not only the dream, but also in maintaining it. Not enough concentration or strength would cause the client to experience that oh so familiar sensation of knowing they were asleep. And when a client is supposed to be having a dream where reality can't be told apart, having that sensation was a mark of failure.

The Aviary was Sora's desired choice for his sessions. It was the one mandatory requirement for those that sought his dreams. Being surrounded by the lush greenery and sky high crystal panels created a perfect environment for him to do his work. A small, intimate clearing was set up with two plush seats and a table between them. Veils of almost translucent silk were hung from nearby trees to create a soft enclosure. Depending on what time of day he conducted a session, Sora would opt for the natural light that filtered from over head, but when night was nearing he relied upon Emerald's magic to give everything a special touch.

Emerald Lullaby walked around the circular enclosure igniting orbs of natural rock that burned a pale, almost white-green. With an affinity for Earth magic, this was but one of her special talents. With the last orb lit, Emerald watched the familiar figure of her master closing in.

"Beautiful, as always Emerald."

"I am most flattered," she responded with a rare smile, "is there anything else I can do?"

"Everything's perfect, you may retire for the night."

Curtsying, Emerald disappeared into the foliage of the gardens as the booming footsteps of Lady Brahne came thundering towards Sora. Her colorfully dressed gaggle of followers were nowhere to be seen, and rightfully so.

"You're looking ravishingly Lady Brahne," he complimented, despite not caring for her choice of wardrobe. Brahne was garbed in little more than a nightgown that was a bit too see-through for his tastes. She batted her thick, stubby eyelashes at him and made herself comfortable in one of the two seats set out for them.

Sora, wearing a charcoal colored tunic top with gold embroidery around the neck, joined her and sat opposite of Brahne. This wasn't anywhere near their first encounter, so there was no need for him to explain his process.

On the table in front of them was a small tray housing a pouch of herbs, a candle, and a gleaming silver needle. Sora grabbed the needle and with one last look at a very giddy Brahne, began the ritual.

"I thread this silver needle," a wisp of pale yellow energy shot out of Sora's pointer finger. "and offer a pinprick of blood."

The wisp of pale yellow wrapped itself through the eye of the needle. Gripping it ever so gently, Sora held out his free hand and jabbed the sharp tip into the middle of his palm. With a breathy sigh he retracted the needle and then followed by placing it over the unlit candle.

"Light this flame that will guide us into a fantastical realm."

A drop of blood fell on the candlewick before igniting into a shimmering red-orange flame. Sora took the candle and with a swoop of his finger, lifted the dancing flame onto it. Fire was burning the tip of his finger, yet Sora was feeling absolutely no pain.

"With an airy breath I blow," his lips puckered, Sora exhaled gently, sending the flame into the pouch of herbs. Almost immediately a single flower bloomed from it, a scent so intoxicating it caused Brahne to swoon.

"And until the last petal falls shall your desires be a reality."

Sora leaned back in his seat, the dream ritual now in effect. Brahne sat with her bulbous head caved into her chest, a grin taking up the entirety of her face. She was off in a land many would never experience. It was now Sora's job to maintain this dream of hers until the flower that sprouted from the herb pouch withered away. If he put all his efforts into it, the sun would be rising by the time his strength would give.

It should have been a session like any other.

It should have been nothing out of the ordinary.

It should have been one more client receiving the dream of their life.

It _shouldn't_ have meant that his client would never wake up again.

Sora watched in stupefied horror as Lady Brahne fell forward and slammed into the ground with earth shattering force. The table that sat between them held no fight against her and promptly splintered under her weight. The flower with its intoxicating scent lay scattered, its petals withering into dust.

The pale white-green glow of the orbs around them suddenly felt cold. Sora couldn't blink let alone take a much needed breath to keep from passing out.

"Wha.."

"Master!"

Emerald came rushing like a gale, sweeping Sora into her embrace before retreating far away from the garden enclosure. His skin was clammy with cold sweat, eyes shaking.

"'Master, are you alright?"

"Emerald...what happened?"

Emerald's grip tightened around Sora's waist, her hold not going anywhere. "I detected something the moment the ritual ended, I came as soon as I could, but it appears I was too late."

Sora, having regained some sense of himself looked at her. "Is...is she...?"

"She's gone, Master. Lady Brahne is dead."

"But, how?" He said through gritted teeth. "How could this possibly happen?"

Emerald shook her head.

"Emerald?"

She held a hand out, the orbs that lit the enclosure burning brighter. The moment the light intensified the clearer it all became. Wrapped around Brahne's immobile body were plumes of purple smoke. Emerald's green gaze all but confirmed her suspicions.

"Poison. Lady Brahne was poisoned."

Sora, now standing at her side suddenly felt light headed. "Poison..."

"The herbs that formed your flower were tainted. Once the flower bloomed, the poison activated. Lady Brahne as the recipient of your dream was hit with the brunt of it. She had no chance. But I'm concerned about you, Master."

He felt his breath becoming labored. "I...I do feel a bit off..."

"We must evacuate everyone from the mansion immediately. The Cradle must be alerted as well."

"Why? I already have you here."

At this, Emerald Lullaby's expressionless face hardened. "Because this was the work of another Lullaby."

His voice caught in his throat. Sora couldn't believe what he was hearing. "That's not possible."

"A Lullaby was after your life, Master. There's no other explanation. As the ones tasked with the order of Lullabies, The Cradle must be summoned at once."

"But Lady Brahne..."

"It's too late for her, but your life is just as important. We must leave for the time being. We don't know if the perpetrator is still on the premises."

In a span of mere minutes the staff, without any details, were ordered to leave. Lady Brahne's attendants were another matter altogether and were proving difficult to deal with.

"What's the meaning of this? Where is Lady Brahne?"

"Has something happened to our lady?"

"Why won't you say anything?"

As Emerald took the brunt of their rightful hostility, Sora was busy attending to the matter of alerting The Cradle. Once they were informed that a Lullaby had gone rogue and attempted to take his life, an order of the highest caliber would be issued in finding out not only the perpetrator's identity, but also making sure the responsibility for Lady Brahne's death would not fall on his shoulders.

"Please state your full name and identification code."

He was standing before a floor length mirror, an intricate geometric pattern on the floor illuminating the darkened room in blue. Sora's hands were trembling, his breath still somewhat labored.

"Sora Cinders Ella, Seer of Deep Cerulean."

The mirror resonated with his voice. A second later, the emotionless voice replied.

"Identify confirmed. Please state your request."

"It's an emergency, a Lullaby made an attempt on my life and because of it, a client has died. I am requesting help."

Once again the mirror, which only showed Sora, spoke.

"Request accepted. An envoy shall be dispatched. Based on your location, they will arrive in approximately 1 hour. Please remain calm."

An icy shiver ran up his spine. Sora glanced over his shoulder only to find the blue glow provided by the illuminated floor.

"Calm down, it'll be ok."

Being asked to wait an hour would have seemed insane considering the circumstances. Alerting the police seemed like the most appropriate line of thought. But Sora's position as a Dream Sketcher meant he couldn't take that liberty. The nature of his work, the confidentiality of his clients meant he could only depend on the services of an organization like The Cradle. If the police got involved it meant bringing his life into the public eye. And that was something he couldn't afford to do.

Sora eventually returned to the main foyer. He couldn't remember the last time the mansion was this empty. Granted, even with all his staff on hand the place was still grand and imposing, but now he felt very isolated. He looked around, realizing that Brahne's party was nowhere to be found. He took it upon himself to search for Emerald and inform her that The Cradle had sent out an envoy.

He traveled carefully through the hallways, his senses on high alert. Sora understood he was in a delicate predicament knowing there was a threat to his life still out there. But Emerald was still around, and that seemed to ease his nerves just slightly.

Without really thinking, Sora wound up back in the Aviary. He normally enjoyed this place at any given time of day, but the shadows that were cast by the looming trees now caused him pause.

"Emerald," he whispered to himself.

The moment her name left his lips, Sora heard it.

 _ **Drip. Drip. Drip.**_

Sora felt something against his forehead. He stopped his stride, the warm sensation trickling down the length of his face.

"What is..."

The smell was metallic. Sora's heart throbbed through his chest. A full moon hidden behind clouds peeked past to shine down through the Aviary glass panels, illuminating Sora where he stood. When he looked at his fingers after dabbing at his face, that's when Sora understood.

"Blood..."

His head shot upwards, the sight nearly robbing his stomach of the contents it held. Sora gagged. The revulsion was so strong it choked the breath out of him.

"Gah-!"

Falling to his knees, Sora was now kneeling in a lake of blood. Strung above him, as if suspended on marionette strings, was Emerald Lullaby.

"Emerald-"

He couldn't fight it. Sora heaved forward, the contents of his stomach meeting the crimson puddle he lay in. He couldn't look up, he dared not to. Her expression remained as he had always known it, void of emotion. Even in death, Emerald stubbornly held true to who she was.

"No," he cried, the stinging sensation leaking from his eyes, "this can't be!"

A cry escaped him before everything faded to a pitch black.

* * *

-One Year Later-

-The Cradle Headquarters-

He was seated in a small white room, four walls devoid of any decoration closed him off from everything else. His eyes held a cold look to them, a dark blue that mimicked the ocean depths.

His hands were placed on the tops of his knees and head tilted at the floor. He wore dark navy pants and a coat a dark shade of grey. He heard the soft hissing coming from in front of him, a set of electric doors opening up and a presence making itself known.

"It's time," the feminine voice said, "please come with me."

He did as he was told and rose from his seat. Without any hesitation, the young man walked behind the woman that came to collect him. They made their way through a long white hallway until they reached another pair of doors. The pair stopped, allowing the doors to open for them. He was asked to enter, the woman that led him remaining where she was. No other words were said, he simply walked into the new room and stood facing a panel consisting of five different men and women.

"It's unusual for training to only last one year, but we've taken into account how hard you've been working."

"Due to the nature of how you came to be here, someone of your status is also a first for our organization."

"You will be assigned to a Dream Sketcher from the southern province of Twilight Town."

"We have big expectations for you, please do not let us down."

"Have you chosen your new name yet?"

Sora lifted his eyes, a hint of silvery blue etched into the irises. A pink bow adorned his lapel, the last remnant of someone he once held dear.

"Yes, I have."

"Please state your code name."

Lifting a hand to his chest, Sora's lips parted.

"Sora Cinders Ella, code name: Gunmetal Lullaby."

 **-O-**


	2. Eggshell

**A/N:** Thank you to those that reviewed, I do appreciate hearing from you. For those that leave guest reviews, please know that I have listened to what you say and while I can't reply to your questions or concerns, they are noted and something I keep in mind. This is still very early on, so I hope to continue to build upon my ideas and concepts.

As the first chapter revealed, Sora has become a Lullaby. And to keep in check with the world I've created, any character that is a Lullaby will be referred to by their codename. This might take some getting used to, but I've found it enjoyable as it gives already existing characters we all know, a refreshing twist.

Anyways, please enjoy and I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Thank you!

* * *

 **Gunmetal Lullaby**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Eggshell**

* * *

He stepped into the small sanctuary that was his bedroom. The dwellings of those that called The Cradle home were universal. A bed, desk, dresser, things of a simple nature. Yet there was one thing that set his bedroom apart from the rest of his fellow trainees and Lullaby associates.

The entirety of the wall facing his bed was plastered with papers. It was normally an eggshell white, but nobody would have been able to tell what color lay underneath as every inch was covered with a plethora of writings and photographs. The room was clinically white and cold, yet the burst of color from the collage gave everything a semblance of much needed life.

Sora Cinders Ella, codename: Gunmetal Lullaby.

The brunette held a steely coldness in his orbs of blue, now tinged with a silvery chrome. He sat on the edge of his bed, still garbed in his knee length asymmetrical jacket of the same color now acting as his official name.

He had lost count of how many times he found himself sitting there, observing the collection he had amounted over the last year. Gunmetal had scoured the world over trying to get his hands on every last piece of information or clue that would point him in the right direction. The mention of a name, the particular look the person in the photograph had, none of it was too small for him.

One year. One long year had passed since Gunmetal's life was turned upside down. His mansion home, the Aviary, a grand structure that spoke of his wealth and brilliance, had been tainted. A dear friend had been taken away from him, a rich and powerful client also a casualty. Gunmetal's life as a Dream Sketcher, a rare person capable of producing realistic dreams, was nearly over.

The moment the envoy of Cradle officials stormed the Aviary, it was chaos. A slurry of questions were thrown at him, accusations flew from Lady Brahne's handlers upon learning that she had died. Gunmetal thought of himself as a cool and collected person, but seeing his confidant Emerald strung up like a lifeless puppet was too much for him.

Having a contract with The Cradle meant his security and reputation would be maintained. The death of Lady Brahne was not his fault, but considering just how vast her family's fortune and influence was, even an organization like The Cradle could only do so much. Gunmetal found himself a target of Lady Brahne's empire, and one that wouldn't take a simple apology as compensation for her death. But Gunmetal wasn't one to back down.

With the investigation underway in an attempt to uncover the culprit behind the tragedies that occurred in the Aviary, Gunmetal made some very forward choices. Nothing he did could repay Lady Brahne's survivors, but they ultimately came to an agreement.

If Gunmetal could uncover the identity of the person responsible for her death, they wouldn't destroy his life. He had to do everything in his power to find out the truth. But he had a time limit. Gunmetal was given three years. Only out of a weird respect knowing how much Lady Brahne loved him was he given this much time.

The investigation ultimately led to a dead end. And when Gunmetal learned that The Cradle wouldn't officially recognize the crime as one committed by a Lullaby, Gunmetal was besides himself. He didn't know how, but Emerald was insistent that another Lullaby had attempted to poison him. Gunmetal trusted her, there was absolutely no reason for her to lie to him. But with the very organization that handled Lullaby matters refusing to acknowledge one of their own was capable of such an act, Gunmetal realized he would have to take matters into his own hands.

With a time limit of three years given to him by Lady Brahne's survivors, Gunmetal made the decision to devote some of that crucial time to become a Lullaby. If he was going to catch a Lullaby, he needed to know the ins and outs as one himself. And so he headed to Cradle headquarters, in the land where eternal night dwelled: The World that Never Was.

The knock at the door did little to startle him. Gunmetal flicked his hand and the wall with his mural of information vanished, leaving the very eggshell white wall in its place.

"Come in."

A soft hissing of the sliding door followed, a small silhouette appearing. The young girl couldn't have been more than 12 years old, but her wardrobe consisting of an asymmetrical coat was all one needed to confirm her status as a Lullaby. She tentatively stepped inside.

"Your status has been officially recognized by the higher ups. I thought I'd come by and personally offer you my congratulations."

She was young, but her words were very eloquent. Gunmetal managed a smile and took a stand, gesturing for her to sit.

"Thank you Fuchsia, it means a lot to hear that."

Eiko Carol, codename: Fuchsia Lullaby. The young girl sported purple hair cut into a clean bob style, a pair of green eyes, and an unusual golden horn growing from the middle of her forehead. A charming yellow bow sitting on top of her head only added to her youthful and childlike charm. But making assumptions based on her looks was a mistake. And having known Emerald, Gunmetal understood that the very first day he was entrusted into her care.

Entering the ranks of The Cradle was no easy task. Thorough and strict protocols were put in place in order to make sure only the best would be accepted as potential guards to some of the most valuable people in the world. Those of course being the rare and highly sought after Dream Sketchers.

Naturally, for a Dream Sketcher to request entry into an organization originally created for the training and assigning of the very guards he or she would one day have acting as their sword and shield, well, that was a tricky thing. Not once since it's inception, some 5,000 years or so ago, had a situation like this arisen. Even the top brass were left scratching their heads.

With such a unique request, the protocol that followed was its first. Gunmetal was given the right to enter The Cradle as a trainee, even though he lacked any combat skills or real aptitude for magic. It was rather ironic that Gunmetal had no talent for magic considering he was able to create dreams, something that was the epitome of magic itself. But a Dream Sketcher's ability to create dreams apparently did not stem from any of the recorded magic known to the world.

So, with no combat skills or aptitude for magic, Gunmetal's chances seemed like a very distant long shot. But again, his situation was unique. And so, that was where Fuchsia came in.

Fuchsia Lullaby was one of the last of her kind. A race of people that came from a small and far off country. The horn that grew from her forehead wasn't some weird anomaly or accessory, it set her identity as what was known as a Summoner. Attuned to the energies of the world, Summoners would use the amplification powers of their golden horns to make contact with the gods. This allowed them to be better attuned to the environment and they reaped the benefits of bountiful harvests and maintaining good health.

Being rarities themselves, Fuchsia's ancestors were seen as something to own and collect. Her people were hunted down and extracted to every corner of the world. She came from one of few families that managed to avoid being taken and to this day, remain one of the last to still call their tiny country, Madain Sari, home.

"There's nothing really left for me to do, Gunmetal. I've taught you everything I know. But in turn I've learned so much myself."

Fuchsia offered him a charming smile.

"My people's power as a Summoner is something that this day in age isn't of much use anymore, what with advanced technologies and theories of magic. So it was fun being able to make use of this thing. You know it's only brought me trouble all my life, right?"

She touched the tip of her pointed horn with a pink gloved hand. Fuchsia's smile was bittersweet, her eyes twinkling with a dark flicker. She was young, but her expression told of the hardships she must have endured in her life. Gunmetal reached out, touching her shoulder.

"What do you say to one more spar? Maybe I'll manage to hold out longer this time."

The dark flicker in her eyes gave way to a shining resonance. Fuchsia clenched her hands together and did a small jump onto her feet.

"You're on! As your former teacher, I won't go easy on you. Prepare yourself!"

She pointed a finger at his chest and threw her head back in a haughty manner. Almost immediately her demeanor changed and became positively charged. This was more along the lines of what a girl her age should look like. Gunmetal grinned.

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

Fuchsia cleared her throat and removed the glove from her left hand. Gunmetal knelt down, allowing his forehead to be touched by the tip of her index finger.

"Resonate."

Her horn became clear, almost crystal-like. Gunmetal's lips parted.

"Luminous, Lustrous, Light. Guide us to a land of beauty. Open the doors to secret gardens. Paint the skies with resplendence."

His words wafted around them, materializing into something tangible. Their surroundings began to resemble less that of the eggshell white of his bedroom, and something more akin to a vast green field. Bright sunlight fell on them, the kaleidoscope effect it created as it passed through Fuchsia's horn forming a scattered colorful mural across the grass.

"I'll never grow tired of this place," Fuchsia said gazing at the vast landscape. "Thank you for doing this."

Gunmetal nodded gently. "It's the least I could do."

The place they found themselves was no longer Cradle headquarters, but one of Gunmetal's realistic dreams. And seeing as how Fuchsia had acted as his mentor for the past year, the dream he created encompassed a place that made her feel like she was literally standing in her homeland. This fertile soil they stood on was as close to Fuchsia's original home country of Madain Sari.

"Need time to prep?" She asked unbuttoning her coat, allowing it to fall behind her delicately.

"Sure, we'll give each other 30 seconds."

Gunmetal slid his hand up the length of his chest until his fingers grazed the pink bow that once belonged to Emerald. He gripped it tight and felt the ribbon easing into his grip. With a quick pull of his hand, Gunmetal's coat flew off and the pink ribbon struck out like the deadly bite of a venomous snake. Gunmetal now held in his hand the equivalent of a deadly whip, fashioned from the memento Emerald had left behind.

"10 seconds to go," Fuchsia uttered as she cracked her knuckles. "Come at me like you mean it."

Gunmetal's chrome tinted eyes grew small. "I will."

With the passing of a breeze that rustled the grass beneath their feet, the pair flew off. Fuchsia immediately slammed her knuckles into the ground, the impact causing the ground to quake and columns of rock to shoot vertically into the skies. Gunmetal stepped back watching as the earth pillars created an intimidating looking wall around her. The columns now stood hundreds of feet high and appeared as if nothing would be able to climb over them. And yet Gunmetal didn't seem concerned.

"Restructure," he muttered under his breath. The pink ribbon acting as his whip became rigid and grew into the shape of a bow. In the flash of an eye Gunmetal held the now makeshift bow and drew back an imaginary string with his fingers.

"Shoot."

A shining arrow of light shot from his bow, reaching the tips of the earth columns and latching onto it. With a kick off the ground he was now running up the length of the rope of light, his footsteps fast and nimble. He gained speed until he became a blur against the sunny backdrop, not a single cloud in the sky.

He stepped onto the top of the pillars, but wasn't given the chance to make a further move. Almost instantly the ground once again began to quake. Gunmetal's bow now back in its whip form, struck out and began coiling around him creating a sphere. The ground beneath him plummeted. He was left high in the sky and now an easy target for the young girl standing with a coy smile far below.

"You never learn, do you?" She giggled.

Fuchsia revealed a sliver of a smirk as she began punching the empty air above her. Each strike sent a flurry of cutting wind towards Gunmetal. The invisible blades smashed against the silken material of the sphere that encapsulated Gunmetal, the shocks resonating inside and jostling his internal organs. It wasn't so much painful as it was uncomfortable. Using the momentum as he began plummeting towards the ground, Gunmetal braced himself for his next move.

"Not gonna work!"

Seeing right through his plan, Fuchsia ran towards the sight of where he would land and launched a round-about kick in his direction. The added spin to her kick was enough to rip the pink sphere to shreds. But oddly enough, there was nothing inside.

Peeking over her shoulder, Gunmetal stood with his whip clenched at his side. She casually turned around and puffed her cheeks.

"Hmph! I see what you did there, that was all that ribbon of yours."

He released the whip and on its own, morphed into an exact replica of Gunmetal. Even the silvery chrome in his eyes was the same. Gunmetal nodded at her.

"Exactly. The moment those pillars obscured your view, I created a replica of myself and sent it scaling up the wall. You were so focused on it I was able to make my way around."

She whistled at him. "How you've grown! That ribbon is something else. In the beginning you were barely able to move it. Now you're creating replicas of yourself? I'm honestly impressed."

The pink bow Emerald once wore in her hair was now Gunmetal's weapon of choice. He was still not able to conjure real magic, but he could manipulate the ribbon into the forms of any item he could imagine. The theory behind this stemmed from him being able to create dreams. Essentially, if he could imagine it, he could make it. Thus his fighting ability was born.

Fuchsia's role was even more important. The amplification power of her Summoner's horn allowed Gunmetal to expand the scope of his created dreams, meaning it allowed him to enter them. As a Dream Sketcher, he didn't experience the dream the client had. But thanks to Fuchsia, he was now able to. And it created the perfect environment for him to train.

"You've been under my wing for only a year, but I have never seen someone grow their potential this quickly. You must be determined to accomplish what you set out to do."

Gunmetal restructured his whip onto his hands, creating pink gloves. He held them up and took a fighter's stance. "I don't have a choice, nor the time to waste."

"Maybe one day you can tell me about it," she replied mimicking his pose and taking a deadly stance herself. "But for now, let's see how long you can manage."

The sun overhead flickered and the two met with a powerful impact. The grass flew off in chunks as the sheer force of their fists met. Moving at speeds that would leave the average observer baffled, the pair made their way around the terrain, never letting up. Gunmetal met Fuchsia almost strike for strike, but as the fight continued, the newly recognized Lullaby began to slow down.

"Is this it?" She taunted sending a kick up near his head and managing to graze his hair.

"Not-quite—"

But the words were muffled by a swift jab to his face, his hands moving up just in time to block most of the impact. Gunmetal was sent rolling back and skittered across the patchwork of torn up ground. He only stopped when a massive boulder stopped his momentum.

"Hah-hah," he breathed raggedly, "this hurts more than I remember."

"Told you, I'm not going easy."

His eyes widened the moment he saw her fist in his peripheral vision. Gunmetal swerved aside as the impact smashed the spot he lay against and sent him flying. He used the force of the launch to correct his position in the air before attempting his counter attack.

"Restructure!"

The gloves dissolved into a spear. Throwing back his arm, Gunmetal imbued whatever strength he had left in him before sending it barreling like a comet. Fuchsia let out a disappointed sigh.

"You're still a bit green."

She flung a kick into the tip of the spear, only to find that it was her eyes growing wide. The moment she made contact the spear split into hundreds of strands and wrapped around her, rendering Fuchsia immobile. Falling to the ground in a rather comical way, Fuchsia was left speechless.

"Wha?"

"There's more than one way to fight," he said closing the distance between them. "And if my goal is to find someone, I need to make sure I can keep them from moving."

He bent down at her eye level and smiled. "Thank you for everything."

Releasing his hold, the ribbon returned to its original bow shape sitting gingerly on his lapel. Fuchsia muttered under her breath, but nonetheless allowed herself to grin. "My pleasure, Sora."

His breath caught in his throat. She held a finger to her lips, indicating for him to keep quiet. "Don't tell anyone, ok?"

He nodded. "Understood."

A second later they were once again surrounded by the eggshell white of his bedroom. Looking at the clock that ticked away on his desk, only a minute had gone by. The amount they spent inside the dream had been longer, but due to Fuchsia's power, time flowed much slower. It was for this reason that Sora had been able to make such large gains in just a year. He was essentially doing the training of someone that would have spent years in just a fraction of the time.

"Where have they assigned you to?" She asked, having not been privy to the information that was shared behind closed doors. "From my understanding, all Dream Sketchers with a contract already have Lullabies assigned."

The Cradle was a large organization, but an odd one considering just how few Dream Sketchers there actually were. There were around 30 recognized individuals, but the numbers were definitely higher. Not every person born with the ability to create realistic dreams was public about their powers. And of those 30 or so, not all of them employed Lullabies. This could only mean one thing.

"It's a new contract," Gunmetal explained, "someone that's only been practicing for a short time. Seeing as I'm just starting out, they felt it would be appropriate to be assigned to someone in a similar situation."

"Hmm," she mused, "I see where they're coming from. But this also proves more dangerous. A rookie Dream Sketcher hasn't created a name for themselves yet so they don't have the same kind of influence and pull. That makes them a much more attractive target for those in the shadows. Which means you'll need to be on high alert much more often."

Gunmetal gazed out the windows of his high story bedroom. The neon drenched cityscape was always lit, always glowing with colorful light.

"I've been on high alert ever since that night," he said never taking his eyes away, "I'm always looking, searching, and listening to everything. I have to be if I'm going to have any chance of accomplishing my goal."

Rubbing his hands together, Gunmetal let out a sigh. "It's for Emerald's sake as well."

Fuchsia's lips twisted for a sad moment. "It wasn't your fault, remember that."

But it definitely felt like it was to him. "I know..."

Fuchsia remained with him for a little while longer before she had to tend to her other duties. She was one of the senior instructors at The Cradle despite her young age and was a very busy person. In that regard, Gunmetal felt privileged that he had been able to have as much time as he did with her.

Once the door closed behind her, the brunette once again turned to the mural that donned his bedroom wall.

"Restructure."

The pink bow dissolved into his hand and reformed into the shape of a pin. He held it up to eye level and with a quick flick of his wrist, threw it forwards. It struck a page dead center before it materialized back on his jacket lapel. He got up and walked the few steps until he was facing the target of his aim.

"Tell me Storybook, what have you found me?"

He lifted the page off the wall and looked over its contents. The piece of paper he held was the evolved state of what he once used to record the details of his clients' dreams, a Dream Sketcher's trusted tool, the Storybook.

Gunmetal could not leave Cradle headquarters during his training, but he wasn't about to stop that from getting any tidbit of information he could. With the help of Fuchsia's Summoner powers, and in the same manner he was able to expand his dreams to allow his entry into them, Gunmetal was able to develop the Storybook's use. He essentially cast a "web" out into the world. And any piece of information that got "caught" in this web, materialized as a tangible piece of writing or photograph that he could see with his own eyes. He truly couldn't have gotten this far without the help of that young Lullaby. She agreed to help him, even if the details were something he couldn't share with her.

Letting out a sigh, Gunmetal fell back on his bed in an X shape. "Nothing."

Despite it being eternal night, it was late already. And while the physical beating he took in the dreams he created for his training weren't real, the exhaustion lingered. It was something that made him realize there was a lot he could improve on.

He disrobed and got under the covers of the bed. The curtains that covered the windows were somewhat translucent, allowing the splendor of the neon drenched city to still seep through. But it didn't bother him. The soft light brought him a sense of comfort. Without much difficulty, Gunmetal was soon off to sleep.

And while it was normal for everyone to go off into a realm of dreams when they slept, ironically for Dream Sketchers, it was an altogether different story.

For you see...a Dream Sketcher _never experiences a true dream._

 **-O-**


	3. Hymns

**A/N:** It's looking like this story will be updated on a monthly basis with the way my schedule is going, so I apologize for the wait between chapters. Hopefully it is still something that is interesting to you guys, so I appreciate the support. Please enjoy, and I'll see you guys next month.

* * *

 **Gunmetal Lullaby**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Hymns**

* * *

"Morning" came to The World That Never Was. The dark skies never lost it's purple radiance nor did the glowing of the neon imagery that dotted the metropolis ever flicker.

Gunmetal had gone to bed the previous night having had his final bout with Fuchsia in one of his created dreams. It was a bittersweet moment knowing that his time with her, time that he was incredibly grateful for, was over. He owed her everything. Without Fuchsias help he would never have been able to develop his skills as a fully recognized Lullaby.

The eggshell white room now lay bare. Gunmetal stood at the foot of the bed with a black suitcase in one hand draped in his asymmetrical coat adorned with Emerald's pink bow. A leather harness hung around his shoulder that held his Storybook in place as it dangled behind him. Within it the massive collage that once took up the entirety of one of the walls lay safely. The room had been his home for a year and he was now taking his leave. Glancing around he bowed his head and made for the door.

Cradle Headquarters held a very clinical air to it. Always pristine and clean, gleaming white and a shining beacon when compared to the dark landscape of the city. It reminded Gunmetal of his home, the Aviary in a sense. Both were mysterious places that didn't quite match with the decor of its surroundings. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

With his appointment to a Dream Sketcher already set, Gunmetal now had a small journey before him. Twilight Town was a massive country made up of thousands of districts. The rookie Dream Sketcher lived in the southern cluster of districts, a section of the country often referred to as "The Old Mansion." Under normal circumstances, getting there shouldn't have posed a problem. One could fly to any destination in an instant be it plane or gummi ship, but Twilight Town was a unique case.

Gunmetal was passing beneath the gargantuan first floor lobby, the high ceilings painted with a mosaic of many colors. He made very little contact with the other denizens of the building, but it wasn't until he reached the glass front doors that he was forced to acknowledge someone with his metal tinged eyes.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye, Sor-I mean, what was your code name again?"

A duo stood by the entrance with their backs pressed against a nearby wall. Their asymmetrical coats in various colors were distinctive and spelled for the world just who they were. Gunmetal tried to hide behind the collar of his coat, but the coaxing didn't let up.

"The least you could do is offer a proper goodbye. I mean, the way you waltzed in here and had Lady Fuchsia wrapped around your finger, ugh, I still don't understand what the higher ups were thinking."

The voice came from a woman bearing unfortunate features. Her nose had a swooping point and rounded chin only made her already oval face appear rounder. Dark brown hair sported a bow somewhere along the teal-sea foam spectrum and red lips formed her prissy smug look.

"Sister, honestly, I don't know why you bother. It's obvious he finagled his way in here because of who he was. Granted, he's a mere shadow of his former self."

The woman next to her also shared in her similar, unfortunate appearance. Brassy red hair, a bulbous nose that made her appear toad-like, and a similar red hued smirk. Anyone with a thought in their head would come to the conclusion that these two women were related.

"You're quite right Spinel, how the mighty have fallen," the first woman wearing a yellow colored coat replied.

"Very much so, Citrine."

Drizella and Anastasia Tremaine, code names: Citrine and Spinel Lullaby.

The pair were in fact sisters, members of an old family that had been in service to The Cradle and in turn, to some of the most revered Dream Sketchers throughout history. Citrine was the eldest of the two sisters and one with a rather nasty side. Spinel in her pink coat wasn't far behind, but if at all possible seemed to be the more reserved when it came to showing off her mean side.

Gunmetal sighed. "I've got a train to catch, so if you'll excuse me."

He made to walk past them, but was stopped by Citrine's outstretched hand.

"Hold it, I'm not done here."

"Unless you've got some official business with me, I'm under no obligation to deal with you."

Citrine found her eyes growing slanted as Gunmetal continued on his way towards the glass doors.

"To think that poor Emerald died for your sake."

A crackling vibration made its way past Gunmetal's ear. He stopped dead in his tracks and cocked his head to the side, the metallic luster in his blue eyes appearing darker. "Care to run that by me again?"

Citine's lips pulled into a triumphant smirk as she crossed her thin arms. "I mean, she was part of the Hymns, the highest order of Lullabies. For someone of her status to end up on the coroner's slab, it was a blow to the entire organization. I just can't imagine how you managed the gall to show your face here of all places."

The air bristled with a hot intensity, one that came from the normally relaxed brunette currently staring Citrine down. The unpleasant smile behind his collar suddenly turned on its head, revealing a smirk. The sisters didn't find this amusing.

"Something funny?" Spinel asked with a bored expression.

"Actually, there is," he replied taking a step forward, the leather harness holding his Storybook rustling as he moved. "I was under the silly impression that a Lullaby's job, their whole reason for existing, was to serve a Dream Sketcher."

The words left Gunmetal's lips with a cool bite to them. "I mean, pray tell, The Cradle...it was created solely for our sake, wasn't it?"

He was now standing but a foot or so away from Citrine, the darker haired brunette eyeing Gunmetal with a look of contempt. But he didn't quite let up.

"So am I to believe that if your poor master, whoever it may be, is in a life or death situation, you wouldn't be able to muster up your wits and..."

He got awfully close, his face but an inch from Citrine's. With a short chuckle, Gunmetal released the final nail in his arsenal.

 _"...die for them?"_

Citrine's face was a lovely shade of tomato red, her teeth audibly grinding into themselves.

"I thought so. The Cradle was created with the sole purpose of protecting Dream Sketchers, the rarest of all people born into our world. When you walk through the doors of this building, you are doing so knowing the risks involved. If you think I am somehow to blame for Emerald's death, then you obviously don't understand the position we find ourselves in."

He fell back a few steps and looked up at the colorful mosaic that made the ceiling.

"She died for my sake, a Dream Sketcher. Picking a fight with the very people you're supposed to be devoting your life to," he paused and let out a breathy sigh, "honestly Citrine, Spinel, how petty."

Citrine and Spinel couldn't find an appropriate response, but the expression on their faces was enough to tell Gunmetal this was his win.

"You have a lovely day ladies, may the blessings of the scripted word be on your side."

Turning his back to them, Gunmetal continued on his original path out the glass doors. The minute he stepped onto the wet, rainy streets of the outside world, his teeth quickly dug into his lips.

"I'm sorry Emerald."

Everything he said with a conniving smirk was the absolute truth. The Cradle and its Lullabies had one job and one job only: the protection of a Dream Sketcher. They understood their position. Their lives were constantly on the line making sure those from the shadows remained there. Many Lullabies had died throughout history in service to their masters. That was the deal one signed up for.

For smug, prissy women like Citrine and Spinel who had their titles handed to them, a luxury reserved for a family of their caliber, they knew nothing of hard work or sacrifice. Gunmetal actually felt a sense of pity for the Dream Sketcher that called them his guards. If the situation ever arose, he had the surest of feelings they would not spare a second and run for their own lives.

Gunmetal had said all of this knowing a Lullaby's line of work. But that didn't mean he was happy with the outcome of his situation. Emerald had died for his sake. He understood that. A Lullaby was meant to protect him, lay their life down. The unfortunate reality was that it did happen, and it was because of him.

The strangest thing about Gunmetal's already strange situation was that the rogue Lullaby that came after his life, was indeed set on killing him. The poisoned ritual that took Lady Brahne from the mortal realm had been meant for him. This in itself was a contradiction.

Why would a Lullaby, the very person meant to protect someone like him, want him dead?

That was one of many things Gunmetal had set out to learn. The year he devoted to become a Lullaby was meant for this very reason. He had a limited amount of time to find the rogue Lullaby and satiate not only Lady Brahne's survivors, but also bring peace to Emerald's memory. The fact he had been the original target was an afterthought.

The newly appointed Lullaby made his way across the city. His current goal was to arrive at one of several train stations that lay at the edges of the metropolis. In this day in age, instant transport by gummi ship was the most popular form of long distance travel. But Gunmetal couldn't rely on this method when his destination lay in the country of Twilight Town.

In order to reach the land of eternal Twilight, one had to travel by train. An unexplainable phenomenon made it impossible for planes to fly or gummi ships to travel over the airspace of Twilight Town. Any attempt to do so would end with the plane or ship simply ceasing to function and plummet out of the sky. This unfortunate situation had indeed happened in the past, and casualties were a real result.

So, Gunmetal now found himself with a two day trip by train before reaching the border of Twilight Town and a further day to arrive in the southern districts of the country, otherwise known as The Old Mansion. With nothing more than his suitcase, Gunmetal was set on making the journey.

A momentary break in the rain allowed him smooth travel to the train station. Upon his arrival at one of the ticket terminals, Gunmetal pulled the stray spiky bangs away from his face to reveal his eyes. Facing the terminal, a beam of light flashed across his eyes. A moment later the machine before him spat out a plastic card. With his boarding pass in hand, Gunmetal ventured into the massive station and waited for the appointed time stamped on his card in shiny lettering.

"Hey doesn't he look like..."

His ears caught the whispering and with a casual look over his collar, observed the people glancing in his direction.

"No, it couldn't be. I heard he went on a long hiatus. Plus, what would a person like him be doing in a train station?"

"It's a shame, rumor has it the dreams he made were unlike anyone else's."

"Like you would know, only the super rich can afford them."

"Duh, that's why I said it was a rumor."

The gossiping girls made a few more remarks before bursting into a fit of giggles and wandering off in a different direction. With his back pressed against a concrete pillar away from the throngs of people milling about, Gunmetal tried to remain as invisible as he could.

Being a highly sought after Dream Sketcher made him what was essentially a celebrity. And while not anyone could afford the service he provided, his status was well known even among the regular population by word of mouth. The fact his name had not been smeared was because despite the incident that happened in the Aviary, not a word of the event was revealed to any outside sources save for The Cradle, and Lady Brahne's survivors. As far as the public was concerned, the Dream Sketcher by the name of Sora Cinders Ella, had simply gone on a long break.

And that break was only for three years. The agreement Gunmetal had come to with Lady Brahne's survivors generously gave him that much time to find the person responsible for her death. The minute those three years were up, people like the gossiping girls he noticed glancing at him would be eyeing him not with curiosity and interest, but genuine disgust. His image would be torn apart. Everything he had built up would be crushed under the power and influence of Lady Brahne's empire.

A familiar whistling sound pierced the air and Gunmetal finally looked up from his lapse in thought. A gleaming silver train came barreling into the station and stopped effortlessly at the appropriate platform. A voice over the intercom gently asked patrons to begin boarding and to mind their belongings. Gunmetal waited until the flow of people lessened before slipping away from the pillar he occupied and went up to the train. He placed a foot on the first step of the train, but instead of entering, he looked at a small terminal right by the entrance to the first compartment. Slipping his plastic card into a slot, Gunmetal was then rewarded with the buzzing of an electronic door opening opposite of the terminal.

"Welcome," a voice said. Gunmetal quickly walked inside and the door shut promptly behind him. He walked for a solid two minutes until he entered a ritzy looking compartment of the train lined with plush seating and a full decked out bar. This particular section of the train was not for the masses, but a special area designated for the use of The Cradle and its members. And by the looks of the empty compartment, Gunmetal would have the place to himself.

Moving over to the sitting area, lined up against large windows that could look out, but not from the outside, Gunmetal made himself comfortable.

"Don't care for a drink?"

He glanced up at the bar. Sitting on one of the stools was someone that hadn't been there only moments ago. Gunmetal felt a pang in his stomach. " _How did I not notice him?"_

"No, thank you. I appreciate the offer though."

"Oh come on, we're stuck on this hunk of metal for days. The least you could do is enjoy a drink to pass the time."

Gunmetal wasn't really feeling like talking to anyone. Having already had the earlier spat with Citrine and Spinel was enough. He tried to feign indifference, but the man at the bar counter wasn't letting up.

"How about this, you have one drink with me and I'll share a little tidbit I heard. I think you'll find it interesting."

Gunmetal immediately sensed something in his Storybook. With the amplification power of Fuchsia's abilities, he had been able to cast a worldwide net that would manifest a tangible piece of information within it. The fact that the man beckoning for his company had offered information and his Storybook alerted him was proof there was something of importance in the man's words. With an internal grumble at having to deal with someone when all he wanted was to be left alone, Gunmetal stood up and walked over to the bar counter.

"There we are! Barkeep!"

Gunmetal plopped himself down to the left of the man as the bartender poured out a frothy concoction of some kind before him. He listlessly played around with the straw, but didn't bother to take a sip.

"So I heard, congratulations on your appointment."

Gunmetal nodded slightly. "Thank you."

"You really caused quite the stir when you came to The Cradle last year. It was unheard of for a Dream Sketcher, especially someone like you, to want to become a Lullaby. To be perfectly honest, I still can't wrap my head around it."

The ice in his glass clinked as he lifted it up to his lips, the man with wooden color eyes and silver white hair. He had a peculiar gem stone imbedded in the middle of his forehead, a sky blue gem in the shape of a diamond.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners? It's a pleasure to meet you, Gunmetal. I am Snow Lullaby."

Snow Lullaby, real name, Rue. The young man clinked his glass to Gunmetal's untouched drink. It was then that Gunmetal's eye quivered.

"Snow...as in Snow of the Hymns?"

Snow grinned at the brunette and nodded his head of silver white hair. "Please, it's nothing to concern yourself over. If anything, it is I who should feel the honor of meeting a Dream Sketcher. After all, we exist because of you."

The Cradle's most revered and powerful members, the most elite of them all, were known as the "Hymns." These Lullabies had spotless records and were dangerously strong. It was said that 100 Lullabies were not enough to take on a single Hymn. Even Fuchsia, the one that beat Gunmetal within an inch of his life on a daily basis wasn't part of such a group. Being on the receiving end of her instruction put into perspective just how further along a Hymn lay. Which in turn made the chilling fact that Emerald, someone in those very ranks, had been murdered even more profound.

"I must applaud your devotion. The Cradle's training isn't something just anyone can handle. People are screened even before they take their first step into the building. So I'm happy to know that you had success."

"I owe it all to the higher ups and Fuchsia. I was given an opportunity when I shouldn't have. But, I needed to do it."

Snow careened his eyes at the glass in his hand. "It was a shock to everyone hearing about Emerald's passing. Those in the Hymns especially. But that's the role we are assigned. We get hurt, we bleed, and we can surely die just like anyone else. We are by no means immortal."

The way Snow looked at Gunmetal spoke of the vast differences in attitude between him and people like the Tremaine sisters. The latter saw Gunmetal in a negative light, they easily forgot their role and what it meant to be a Lullaby. But Snow was sincere, he understood his position and couldn't look at Gunmetal with anything but adoration and respect. The brunette couldn't help but chuckle.

"Where were you earlier when I needed to hear this? I wish the same views could be shared by other members of The Cradle."

Snow clicked his tongue. "Sounds like some pesky brats were running their mouths."

"Yes, well, I'm sure I got my point across. Anyways, I don't mean to be rude, but you did mention something about a piece of information."

The white haired man motioned for the bartender to refill his drink before procuring something out of the pure icy white coat that wrapped around him. He settled whatever it was he had pulled from his pocket and waited until the bartender walked away into the back before pulling his hand away.

"The Hymns recently had a meeting and one of the things mentioned in the report was this," he said moving the piece of paper over to Gunmetal. "Everything that is said is never to leave the room, but I had a feeling this was something that would be of interest to you."

Feeling a sudden lump in his throat, Gunmetal forced it down and looked at the paper he had been given. He examined it, reading every little detail before cocking an eyebrow.

"This looks like a regular billing invoice. The company is well known, so I'm not sure how this benefits me."

"Look again, I'm sure you'll find it."

Snow offered him a small smile and drank from his glass as Gunmetal gave the paper another scan. A few minutes passed by, but he eventually sighed and finally took a sip from his now watered down drink. The unpleasant bitterness he tasted forced his mouth into a pucker.

"I'm sorry, but I don't see it."

The white haired man got up from his seat and flashed Gunmetal a smile. "Keep it. I'm sure you'll figure it out in due time. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a nap."

With a final wave, Snow left and disappeared down a hallway that led to the sleeping quarters of the train compartment they occupied. Gunmetal remained where he was, eyeing the invoice that Snow had left him. The train had already set off well before Snow left the bar counter and the scenery beyond the windows was an array of aurora borealis.

"Sir, are you done with your drink?"

Gunmetal nodded at the bartender and watched as he lifted the glass away from the wooden counter. He barely took a sip and the condensation from the ice had caused a pool of water to collect around the surface. The bartender made to wipe away the water with a rag, but not before Gunmetal noticed something strange.

"Just a moment," he said stopping the man before he could continue. Gunmetal realized that the ring of water left behind by the glass had a faint glimmer. He scrutinized the reflection and found his heart in his throat. Tiny flecks of icy snow were floating in the thin ring of water, spelling out a very distinct set of words.

" _Do not trust your appointed Dream Sketcher."_

* * *

He sat by the pool, the golden orange glow of twilight sparkling over the surface of the water. Pale white skin and long legs descended from a tiny black swimsuit that left little to the imagination. Letting out a long sigh, the young man bearing seafoam colored eyes removed his sunglasses and raised a hand towards the sky.

Riku Fenrir, Child of Glimmering Silver, stared blankly through the gaps in his fingers.

"I wonder what my Lullaby is like."

 **-O-**


	4. Mother

**A/N:** This chapter is quite late, and it looks like I might not be able to stay on the schedule I wanted. But seeing as how it's Mother's Day here, I felt inspired to finish this chapter as it actually works out perfectly with today's holiday. So please enjoy and I'll check in with you next time.

* * *

 **Gunmetal Lullaby**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Mother**

* * *

Several hours had passed since the train left The World That Never Was. Unlike ordinary trains, there wasn't the slightest sound of the wheels grinding against the tracks that crossed the scenery. It was a very mellow and gentle ride.

For Gunmetal, however, there wasn't anything gentle about the predicament he found himself in. He was in his own private room aboard the special compartment of the train for Cradle members. His Storybook had been loosened from his shoulder and lay wide open on the bed he currently sat on. Once again the collage of information he had accumulated lay before him against one of the walls. Scrawled out in an icy almost translucent blue were the same words he had read glistening on the bar counter.

"Do not trust your appointed Dream Sketcher."

Gunmetal had no idea how to process this. Snow Lullaby was a member of the Hymns, the strongest of all Lullabies. What reason did he have to divulge such a piece of information? How did it benefit him? Would Snow get into some kind of trouble for telling him this? And more importantly, was this even true? The brunette held a strained hand to his forehead in thought.

"He wouldn't lie...would he?"

Even if Snow had been lying, Gunmetal couldn't prove it. As a Dream Sketcher, someone that would recreate a person's most desirable dream, he had an innate ability to perceive the truth. A client couldn't hide their desires from him. But a Lullaby was different, and especially a Hymn.

One of the most important things a Lullaby is trained in is the art of concealment. And not just in physically dissolving into the background as to appear unnoticeable, but in a mental sense. With the variety of people and organizations out in the world, a Lullaby needed to have a strong mind. And for a Hymn, lying and making someone believe it to be truth was a seamless achievement.

He couldn't shake the feeling of this being too convenient of a situation. Having been just recognized as a Lullaby, his first appointment to a Dream Sketcher, and now this? It was almost like he was following a series of connecting dots. But now faced with this idea that Snow had left for him, Gunmetal began to give his appointment some serious thought.

"Storybook, change display to mission point."

The colorful collage morphed into a floating screen displaying not only the photograph of the Dream Sketcher he would be serving, but a series of notes beside it. Gunmetal removed his coat, revealing a muscle tight white shirt with a deep V slit down the collar.

"Riku Fenrir," he began reading in a level audible to only him, "Child of Glimmering Silver."

In a similar fashion to the code names Lullabies had, Dream Sketchers were given a title once they stepped out as a professional and registered practitioner of the art. It was a way to elevate their name, give it a grandeur element on par with their abilities. Gunmetal was once known as the Seer of Deep Cerulean.

"Youngest son of the House of Fenrir, an ancient line of aristocrats and nobles. The first Dream Sketcher born into the family after more than 300 hundred years..."

His eyes flew over the information his Storybook offered him. The more he read, the more skeptical he became of the warning Snow had left him. While Riku was indeed from a famous and well known family, there wasn't anything particularly strange about his upbringing. His older siblings were all international celebrities and heads of their respective companies. Even the information relating to them and his parents didn't seem to register anything that would potentially spell a threat to him.

It was rather ironic now that he thought about it. Gunmetal had been given the role of protector to Riku because he was relatively new to his profession. But his status was well known, and that meant the spotlight was already on him. Coming out as a Dream Sketcher now would only make him more sought after.

But none of that circled back to the issue he faced. Gunmetal could feel his temple twitching as he continued sitting there, thinking for all he was worth. It wasn't until he heard a musical note over the loudspeaker that Gunmetal gave his mind a break.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have received notice of a potential delay to our journey. Rest assured there is nothing to be concerned over. Please remain in your current positions and we will notify you with further details as they become available."

Gunmetal looked to the window in his room and sure enough, the colorful scenery began to slow down. The train they were riding was indeed coming to a stop. He closed his Storybook, sending the contents from the wall away in a staticky sizzle. Gunmetal placed a hand against the glass of the window and tried to peer into the distance. There was nothing but grassy fields at this point. When traveling, the outside world appeared to be bathed in aurora borealis, a landscape of every color imaginable. But once they stopped moving the reality of their surroundings took their rightful place.

"Wait a moment," he said feeling a faint sensation from where he stood. "This feeling..."

Almost immediately the sensation he felt grew stronger. Vibrations began rattling not only his body, but the entire train. The lights overhead flickered on and off and the tinkering sounds of glass threatening to break filled his ears. Gunmetal understood in that moment that something was very wrong.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated. We are declaring a level 4 emergency. Please remain calm."

The blood in his veins froze. Gunmetal grabbed his coat and threw it on before slamming the door to his room wide open. His feet carried him towards the back of the compartment. It connected to another section of the train, but his goal was to find an exit. Once he did and propped the door open, that's when he heard it.

A howl.

A tremor rattled the earth. Gunmetal managed to keep himself upright, but he was now concerned for everyone else aboard the train. He turned in the direction that they were originally going and his eyes doubled upon seeing what had caused their inevitable stop.

A massive purple frame took up the entirety of his vision. Horns and claws, a tail the length of an entire train compartment. A salivating mouth oozing with a hazy miasma caused the air to quiver. Gunmetal could feel his mouth drying when he realized just what this creature was.

"A Behemoth."

A creature of terrifying stature and power. Behemoths were wild animals that lived in relative solitude, away from humanity and in every corner of the world. But that in no shape or form detracted from the fact that they were incredibly dangerous and violent if humans came into contact with them. Practically impervious to all forms of magic and with a hide stronger than most metals, Behemoths were monsters that could wipe out entire armies with ease.

"What is a Behemoth doing here?" Gunmetal said to himself in a voice dotted with confusion. "Behemoths should not be anywhere near this area, not this close to The World That Never Was."

Even though they had been just a few hours outside the country, it was still well within civilized land and an area where such a creature shouldn't be. For a Behemoth to appear here was incredibly unusual. But that thought would have to be left for later as Gunmetal made the unfortunate realization that the Behemoth's eyes had focused on him.

A roar shook the air as the Behemoth came galloping towards him. Gunmetal felt his insides grow numb, but his actions remained unfazed. He reached for the pink bow on his lapel and immediately gripped it before transforming it into a long spear. Gunmetal could feel the looming power of the Behemoth enveloping him with just its stature, but he proceeded to do what he could. Taking his newly created spear, Gunmetal thrust the blunt end into the soft green earth and looked upwards.

A spherical orb of pink surrounded him. The Behemoth slammed its massive claw against him, sending a thunderous shudder down his body. Through gritted teeth Gunmetal held off the attack. The tip of the spear shot out around him creating his shield, the length of it acting as a balance and support. Another blow impacted his barrier followed by another, each one creating tiny spiderweb-like fractures in the pink material. Very much like the last practice bout he had with Fuchsia, the barrier would eventually break. Even in such a situation Gunmetal felt a smirk pulling at his lips.

"She would laugh at me if she saw this," he muttered shaking his head as the pink sphere shattered. Gunmetal was thrown back by the sheer strength of the blow the Behemoth had brought down on him. Using a hand to regain his balance and somersaulting back to a standing position, several meters had been put between them and Gunmetal wasn't about to waste it. The ribbon fluttered wildly around him before resettling into a set of revolvers.

"Aim," he breathed bringing the long barrels of the guns upwards. With both eyes focused on the stampeding purple monstrosity, Gunmetal let loose a fiery volley.

!Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta!

Bullets were assailing the Behemoth, but none of them were inflicting so much as a scratch.

"Tsk," he uttered shifting his plan around, "maybe something a bit harder then."

The guns melted back into his palms and a heavy mass took their place. He raised the newly created rifle in all its humorous pink glory and fired. A single bullet spiraled towards the Behemoth's head, impacting one of its horns. While it didn't manage to damage it, the force of the strike was enough to send the Behemoth careening off kilter and into a large canopy of trees that formed a nearby forest. Once again the ground shook.

Gunmetal used the newly created opportunity to check up on the train. There didn't appear to be any damage done to it, and the passengers seemed to all be inside. Glancing back over his shoulder, Gunmetal noticed the Behemoth had fully recovered from it's comical spill and was visibly pissed off.

"Guess I shouldn't be surprised," he said licking his lips nervously.

If it was a battle of strength, Gunmetal didn't stand a chance. Tanks and military grade explosives were not enough to take it down, so his options were not looking great. And with no affinity for magic, he couldn't cast a single spell. Not like it really mattered since magic had no real effect on it.

"Nice job holding it off," he heard a voice from behind him. Gunmetal didn't need to turn to know who it was. They had shared an impromptu drink and he had given him a very interesting piece of information. The man with silver-white hair and eyes the color of dark wood came waltzing forward and off the steps of the train.

Snow Lullaby let out a long yawn, his asymmetrical coat nowhere to be seen and a grey shirt in a similar style to Gunmetal's sticking to his muscles. He lifted a finger to his half lidded eyes and watched as the Behemoth began readying itself for another charge.

"You woke me from my nap you overgrown mutt," he spat out with a quiet disdain. Gunmetal knew that the Hymns were strong, but he was still hesitant about their chances. He was about to take a step forward to provide support, only to have a hand thrown in front of him. Gunmetal looked to Snow in surprise and saw him shake his head.

"Leave this to me."

The Behemoth roared and with a thunderous sprint, came charging. The earth was shaking with each step it took, the massive shadow it cast looming over the pair standing at the end of the train. Gunmetal readied his stance expecting the worst, but what transpired next would prove just how insignificant his abilities were.

He thought he was imagining things. Everything was white. The ground, the trees, even the night sky appeared to have gone away and in its place a dreary white and foggy day. Gunmetal breathed. His mouth exhaled a frosty cloud of billowy white. His fingers were cold, tingling with that familiar sensation of having held something icy for too long your skin felt like it was burning. But most peculiar of all was the haunting statue that towered above them.

Cast in ice, mouth wide open and limbs displayed in mid motion was the Behemoth. It had stopped mere inches from where Snow stood, his face completely unfazed as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. He glanced up at the frozen monster and let out a whistle through his parted lips.

"Wow, this thing is huge up front."

The brunette's mind temporarily froze and thawed out. He was having a difficult time trying to understand what had just happened. Snow raised a nicely toned arm upwards and closed the short distance between him and the Behemoth. With a single flick of his finger the massive statue in front of them split in half before crumbling into pure white dust. A perfectly timed breeze came and swept the blanket of white away, revealing the scenery in all its original glory.

"Well, that does it. Why don't we go back inside and get some sleep?"

Snow patted Gunmetal on the back as he reentered the train, leaving the Lullaby without the ability to properly think.

"Unbelievable," he finally managed.

Snow Lullaby single handedly defeated one of the strongest creatures in the world with no real effort. He wasn't even sure what ability or magic he had used. But whatever he had done was on a level beyond his own abilities. This was a very clear sign to Gunmetal of just what kind of monsters the Hymns were and only reaffirmed that whoever it was he was trying to find, the one responsible for Emerald and Lady Brahne's death, was someone of a strength he couldn't underestimate.

In a matter of minutes the train was back on track, albeit delayed, and the scenery was once again awash with bright displays of colorful curtains. Gunmetal tried to get to Snow, but he was bombarded with questions by members of the train staff and from headquarters itself via phone. He spent the better part of the night making his reports before he was allowed to return to his room.

The staff and passengers were grateful for his help, to which Gunmetal wasn't particularly ok with accepting such gratitude. After all, he wasn't the one that took that monster out. Once in his room, he sprawled out over the surprisingly comfortable bed and tried to fall asleep. But his mind was elsewhere.

"This couldn't have been a coincidence."

Behemoths were solitary creatures that actively kept away from people. But this one had made its way right into his path. He couldn't prove it, but he had a feeling in his gut that told him this was an orchestrated event. Something about the glint in the Behemoth's eyes as it tried to run him down sent a shiver up his spine. Could it have been the perpetrator he was after? Or was it someone he just recently learned about? Snow's warning came ringing back again.

"Do not trust your appointed Dream Sketcher," he whispered as he looked at the ceiling. "Riku Fenrir...just what kind of person are you?"

* * *

The Old Mansion was the name given to the cluster of districts composing the southern portion of Twilight Town. When the country was relatively young, the capital was set up in the south and a mansion on the outskirts of a forest acted as the residence of the first royal family. Over time and after several skirmishes with neighboring countries, the seat of government and the royal family moved permanently to the north. Thus, the south of Twilight Town was given the long standing nickname.

Riku Fenrir sat poolside under the golden-orange glow of the sky. Clad in a small bathing suit that only made his already long limbs longer, the man of 27 years let out a sigh.

"So there was a delay?"

Standing a few feet away in a maid's uniform was an older woman sporting dark hair and bright eyes. She had a kind and motherly aura to her.

"Master Riku, please get dressed. She'll be here soon."

The bikini-clad man rolled his seafoam eyes and muttered under his breath. "That woman, honestly..."

"I understand how you must feel, but she is your mother."

Riku scoffed and turned on his side to face a marble column on the opposite end of the large pristine pool. "Curious how she suddenly grows an interest in me the moment I came out as a Dream Sketcher."

The woman in the maid's uniform walked closer until she was hovering over Riku. She patted Riku on the side and he moved over enough for her to take a seat. With her hand she began running it through the long length of his hair. It came to his mid shoulders, a curtain of pure glittering silver, hence his title.

"Your relationship with your mother has been difficult since as far back as I can remember. I've seen it Master Riku, I've seen how she favored the elder children. But I don't believe she loved you any less."

"I highly doubt that," he replied closing his eyes as the soothing sensation of her fingers caressed his scalp. "My coming out was the definitive proof. Suddenly I'm worth a trip all the way from London every other week. The moment she learned I could create dreams, she changed. But only because it benefited her."

The dark haired woman breathed gently as she patted Riku's shoulders one last time before getting back up. "Your clothes have been laid out, please get dressed."

The woman in the maid's uniform worked for the Fenrir household, a servant if you will. But her voice and orders were something Riku could never ignore. He watched her disappear into the distance, back up a series of stairs and into the large mansion. Riku sprawled himself over the the reclining seat before releasing a long and frustrated sigh.

"Let's get this damn visit over with."

Grabbing the bathrobe that sat alongside the chair, Riku quickly got to his feet and wrapped it around his chiseled body. He eventually reached his spacious bedroom on the third floor of the mansion and just as he was told, an outfit not of his choosing, but one he didn't dislike, was sitting there for him. Riku pulled on a pair of beige colored shorts and a backless slinky top in maroon. It was fairly warm out so the outfit was the perfect attire to entertain in.

"Riku!"

The voice rang through the air, settling on his skin and causing it to prickle. Suddenly there was an unnatural chill. He looked at himself in a floor length mirror before stepping out of his room and journeying towards the first floor. As he came around the bend and facing a large staircase, that's when he heard the many pattering of tiny feet.

"Oh there you are! Come say hello to the little darlings."

The woman standing in the foyer was rail thin, almost gaunt, and wrapped in a luxurious fur coat the color of egg custard. Her hair was split right down the middle in rigid shades of white and black. Her lips in red were pulled back in an unnatural smile and in one of her hands a lit cigarette dangling from a holder. Riku didn't attempt to smile back.

"Hello mother."

She was surrounded by no less than 15 Dalmatian puppies, each one yapping or biting at one of their siblings as they stood center stage in the middle of the foyer. The woman in the fur coat, the current female head of the Fenrir House, Cruella de Vil, blew a plume of smoke.

"Aren't you going to say hello to them?"

He groaned. "Mother, please, spare me. I've got a lot to do before my Lullaby arrives so if we can make this quick.."

"Ah yes, a Lullaby! What a wonderful occasion this is. Well I'll have you know that's precisely the reason why I travelled from London to be here. I wanted to meet this Lullaby that will be guarding my baby."

"You're not seriously considering staying here until he arrives, are you?"

"But of course I am!"

Riku looked to the hallway leading into the front foyer from the right, directly at the woman in the maid's uniform. Cruella looked to her as well.

"Raine, please have our things brought in."

Raine, the head of staff at the Fenrir mansion, curtsied before taking off on her orders. Riku wanted to leap from the top of the stairs and meet his end right then and there. Cruella released the puppies at her feet and they scattered to the winds, running in every direction imaginable. Soon the mansion was embroiled with barking and the sounds of running paws against the marble floors.

Tea and pastries were laid out for them a short time later in one of several gardens that made up the property. Beneath a gazebo covered in wisteria and orange roses sat a perturbed Riku with a teacup up to his lips. Cruella sat opposite of him with one of the puppies sleeping in her lap.

"How's father?" Riku asked, knowing full well he was only making small talk.

"Oh that husband of mine, up to the gills in work. He's in San Fransokyo, as you well know. But enough about that. Have you heard? Your sister is expecting again!"

Riku raised a brow. "Elsa? But I thought she was going back to work. She complained the entire time she was pregnant with Alice, doesn't she know what birth control is for?"

Cruella sucked in deeply from her cigarette holder and blew. "Well Riku, as you are well aware, you are the first Dream Sketcher born into the family in the last 300 years. And while I think it was unfortunate that you hid it from us for so long as it should be something to be proud of, it seems Elsa has grown...how should I put this?"

"Jealous?" He replied knowing his one and only sister better than anyone else. "So Elsa has it in her delusional head that she'll bear the next Dream Sketcher in the family?"

"Oh stop that Riku, she's happy for you! But it would seem your coming out lit a fire under Elsa and she's set on nurturing a future Dream Sketcher of her own."

"I feel sorry for her children," he muttered sucking back the last of his tea before setting the cup down with a hard clink. "Have you given it any thought as to why I never told any of you about my abilities?"

Cruella searched through the wisteria laden rooftop of the gazebo for a moment. "I have my theories, but I presume it was because you didn't want to draw unwanted attention to yourself from your siblings."

She had him dead on. Riku hated to admit it, but Cruella was indeed his mother. "Exactly. I've always been the outcast. I didn't want to make myself an easier target for them to pick on. Elsa was one thing, but Vayne and Kuja were another story. Now that we're all adults with careers of our own, I felt it was the right time to make myself known. I could care less what they do or think of me now."

Riku Fenrir was the youngest of four children. Vayne, Kuja, their only sister Elsa, and himself made up the sole line of the Fenrir House. Growing up in a prestigious house of nobles created a sense of rivalry between them that regular households paled in comparison to. Riku was constantly the subject of trickery and physical taunts. Not a day went by that Vayne or Kuja didn't play some kind of prank on him. Elsa on the other hand resorted to psychological warfare and her words to make him feel miserable. And all the while his parents would simply turn the other cheek or tell Riku he was being much too sensitive.

But if there was anyone that he could find comfort in, someone that would clean his scrapes and bruises, kiss his forehead and tell him to keep his chin up, it was their trusted maid Raine. To Riku, the kindred spirit that was Raine fit the role of a caring mother more than his own flesh and blood. She would scold him, but it was always done in a manner that told Riku she was simply looking out for his well-being. Cruella and the head of the house, Riku's father Triton, practically left it to Raine to raise him.

It was in her arms that he sought comfort when the taunts became too much. She dried his tears and would sing to him as she cradled him close.

" _Darling, so there you are_

 _With that look on your face_

 _As if you're never hurt_

 _As if you're never down_

 _Shall I be the one for you_

 _Who pinches you softly but sure_

 _If frown is shown then_

 _I will know that you are no dreamer"_

Raine was the first person he revealed his powers to. She was the recipient of his first created dream when he was only 10 years old. The smile on her face as she experienced her most cherished desire filled Riku with hope and admiration. And how he truly wished that Raine was his real mother.

"What did you dream about?" A 10 year old Riku asked once she returned from her journey. His powers were still in their infancy and so he didn't know what she saw. All she said to him was:

 _"One day I'll tell you."_

Riku felt the sharp little teeth digging into his foot. He broke away from his thoughts to shake the demon Dalmatian away from him. It yelped and went back to Cruella before she gingerly picked it up and into her bosom.

"More tea, Riku?"

The silver haired man shook his head, a few orange petals from the hanging roses cascading across the table with a gentle breeze.

"No thanks."

Riku leaned back in his seat and wished with all his might that the next two days would go by quickly.

 **-O-**


	5. Bread

**A/N:** It's been a while, sorry I haven't been able to keep to my apparent schedule. But, I've still got plans for it. It'll just take longer than expected. Please enjoy the chapter.

* * *

 **Gunmetal Lullaby**

 **Chapter 5**

 **Bread**

* * *

He stepped off the train and into the warm glow of Twilight Town. The skies evoked its very name, an eternal mural of autumn colors and ripe harvests. Two days had gone by and no further incident had occurred. Those riding the train were righteously still concerned and despite the quiet and uneventful days that followed, left the train with a much needed sigh of relief.

Gunmetal exited the train station with a suitcase in hand, and Storybook dangling from its harness. The weather was warm, but not stifling enough for him to remove his asymmetrical coat. The streets of the district he came out into were bustling with a liveliness that spoke of a special occasion. It took but a quick glance at all the banners and bouquets of specifically gathered flowers to inform the random traveler something was going on.

"That's right," Gunmetal voiced recognizing the scenery, "it's a national holiday."

Twilight Town was in the midst of a week long event known as "The Seventh Day." It was of particular interest to children as the holiday revolved around parents and close friends giving out small jobs to the kids in order to earn candy and rewards. This holiday came about centuries ago after a time of hardship when children took it upon themselves to work and help provide for their families. In order to honor this difficult point in time, the week long holiday was created as a reminder to always be grateful for what one has.

Despite arriving in the southern districts of the country, the one known as the Old Mansion, Gunmetal's destination was still about an hour away. The train could not get any closer to the district that Riku resided in. With his belongings in hand, Gunmetal worked his way through the throngs of people.

"Hey mister!"

He glanced down to see a little boy of about five or six years of age. The boy had jet black hair and a wheat colored complexion. Sitting on his shoulder, oddly enough, was a baby monkey clinging tightly to the boy's purple tunic-like shirt. Gunmetal eyed him for a second and broke out in a smile.

"Hello, what's your name?" Gunmetal asked bringing himself down to the boy's eye level.

"I'm Aladdin! And this is my best friend Abu!"

The young Aladdin grinned happily and softly patted Abu to wake him from his half-sleeping stupor. Gunmetal was greeted with a disgruntled squeak from the furry creature.

"He looks tired," Gunmetal replied, "it's nice to meet the both of you. Was there something you wanted to ask?"

Gunmetal understood that despite the large amounts of people parading around in all manners of dress and ethnicities, his signature coat stood out. Perhaps Aladdin was curious about his attire.

"Well," Aladdin suddenly lost a bit of his glow, "we were wondering if you could hire us to do something."

"Hire you?"

"Yeah, since it's the holiday..."

That's right, Gunmetal thought back, "The Seventh Day."

"We've managed a few jobs earlier in the week, but haven't done anything since."

That's when a rumbling sound came. Not the sound of a monstrous Behemoth, but a gentler rumbling that anyone would be familiar with. Aladdin's cheeks grew red as he cowered. Gunmetal's chest tightened, understanding the young boy's reasoning for pulling him aside.

"I see..."

Gunmetal looked down the warm, orange cream colored streets and locked eyes with a deli shop. He hadn't eaten since the night before as he didn't have much of an appetite, then again, following the Behemoth incident the last thing on his mind was food.

"You know, this is my first time in Twilight Town and I don't know my way around. Do you know anywhere that serves a good breakfast?"

Aladdin's eyes shot up. "Oh man, I sure do! I could take you there."

"Alright, consider that my job for you. I'll treat you to breakfast if you lead the way."

"Abu too?" He said shaking his shoulder to alert his friend.

"Of course, I'm hiring the both of you."

The boy's brown eyes shimmered and he quickly took to his task. "Leave it to us!"

They walked the streets with Aladdin out in front, pointing out different things about the district they were in. Gunmetal followed promptly admiring the scenery. After a while of wandering around, Aladdin stopped short of a series of stairs leading up to a quaint looking storefront surrounded by potted flowers. A wooden sign hung from the front door, an image of a star and a loaf of bread carved into the sleek brown material.

"This place has the best bread! Nothing else anywhere beats it."

The brunette looked through the glass windows into the shop, a few tables and chairs lined up against a wall and a display of delicious looking bread and pastries sitting up front. Much to his own surprise, a rumble escaped Gunmetal's stomach.

"Let's go in then."

The minute they stepped inside Gunmetal's senses were overwhelmed. Everything smelled wonderful, but it was the simple scent of fresh ground flour that appeased to him the most. That alone said that this little shop made everything from scratch and with loving care.

"Welcome to Cait Sith's! Please help yourself to a seat if you'd like."

A young woman behind the counter wearing a red apron smiled at them as she packed away an order for a couple being rung up. Aladdin led them over to a table by a side window that overlooked a plaza with a large fountain. Gunmetal set his suitcase and Storybook under the table as he took in the shop.

"This place is nice, it feels very homey."

Aladdin's feet didn't quite touch the ground, but he was kicking them gently in excited anticipation. "I've passed this place a million times, but I've never been in it."

"Really?"

"Uh huh, I've tried the bread, but that's only been on special occasions when Mama visits."

"And who's Mama?"

The boy removed Abu from his shoulder and held him in his lap as the monkey yawned.

"She's a nice lady that helps out the orphanage," he replied, confirming Gunmetal's earlier suspicions. "She comes by a few times a year and always brings bread and pastries from here."

Aladdin didn't appear disheveled or dirty, but he could tell from his thin frame that he probably didn't get enough to eat. It wasn't unusual for orphanages to be under a tight budget, and depending on the location and their capacity, many were always in need. Twilight Town was a prosperous and wealthy country, but orphanages were private institutions and were funded solely on donations from the public. Gunmetal couldn't help but find it a bit ironic that the current holiday, The Seventh Day, paid honor to the working children of the past when to this very day there were those that still suffered from not even having enough to eat.

"Thank you for waiting!" The young woman in a red apron interrupted Gunmetal's thoughts. "Will you be having breakfast today?"

"Yes, we will."

"Lovely! Here are your menus, the specials are right over on that board there, and can I get you any drinks to get started?"

"A coffee please, black."

Gunmetal looked to Aladdin who was already eyeballing the menu with a hungry look.

"Can I have some paopu juice? And milk for Abu."

"Certainly! I'll be right back with your drinks and to take your order."

The shop wasn't terribly busy, one or two other couples occupied a few tables further back from where they sat. But there was a steady stream of people buying bread at the counter from another employee. Gunmetal and Aladdin decided on what they would have and continued talking once the young woman had taken their order.

"Mister, can I ask you a question?" Aladdin expressed wiping his lips after taking a sip from his juice.

"Of course, go right ahead."

"Um...that coat of yours."

Gunmetal knew what was coming. "Yes, is there something about it?"

Aladdin scratched the underside of Abu's chin, the monkey in question staring at his reflection in the window.

"That's a Lullaby's coat, isn't it?"

"Yes it is."

The young boy seemed to glow. "Wow...a real Lullaby. So you're assigned to a Dream Sketcher? Does that mean they're somewhere here with you?"

Gunmetal brought the pitch black coffee up to his lips and coated the inside of his mouth with the bitter liquid. "In the simplest terms, yes. I've been assigned to a Dream Sketcher and I'm currently making my way to them."

"That's amazing," he replied kicking his feet even more vigorously. "This is the first time I've met a Lullaby. There aren't any around here. I mean, there aren't any Dream Sketchers in all of Twilight Town so there's that."

"Dream Sketchers are very rare. There are hundreds of countries, and the majority of them don't have any."

"Hmm...why do you think people were born like that?" Aladdin asked.

Gunmetal sat in his seat thinking the question over. "The answer to that has been lost over time. This world is massive and the stories differ from one place to another. But in all of them, there has always been one similarity."

Aladdin grew quiet. "What is it?"

He was about to reply when the young woman came to their table with a series of plates filled with food. "Here we are!"

Any other thought went out the door for Aladdin as he saw the shimmering white plates full of eggs, sausage, and a basket of their fresh bread. He made to pick up a piece of it, but immediately looked to Gunmetal as if asking if this was really okay.

"No need to wait, eat up."

Aladdin and Abu ate their way through their breakfast with such ferocity, it actually caused Gunmetal a pang of sadness. Having grown up as Dream Sketcher, there wasn't anything he couldn't have. And while money couldn't replicate the homey, authentic delicious flavors of the food he ate alongside Aladdin, he knew he would always have a full belly.

"So good!" Aladdin squealed biting into a thick slice of buttered bread.

"Easy there, it's not going anywhere."

As Aladdin ate, Gunmetal's senses perked up at a sudden shift in the air. The steady stream of people hadn't died down, and the few other tables occupied by diners didn't appear out of the ordinary. He glanced over the top of Aladdin's head at one point to find a table tucked away in the very back. The two people sitting there were sipping away at their own drinks. Gunmetal studied them before slipping a hand into his coat pocket.

"Hey Aladdin, I want to give you another job."

The boy, mouth full of egg, stopped. "Whaph?"

"Swallow your food."

He did as he was told and beamed up at Gunmetal. "Really mister? What is it? I can do it!"

"I want you take this, go to the counter and pay for the meal. Then, I want you to use the rest of the money and buy bread for everyone back at your orphanage and take it to them right away."

Aladdin was flabbergasted when Gunmetal handed him the money, a shiny new note with more zeroes on it than he had ever seen. Abu looked from Gunmetal to Aladdin wondering what was happening that had his friend frazzled.

"But-but mister! This is...way too much!"

"It's okay Aladdin, think of it as a job for everyone at the orphanage. I want all of you to enjoy the bread. I think that's a straightforward task, right?"

His brown eyes became glossy. Aladdin was holding back tears that were surely building up. Wiping his lips and getting to his feet, Aladdin ran over to Gunmetal and threw his arms around him.

"Thank you! This has been the best Seventh Day ever! I'll make sure they savor every bite!"

He bowed to Gunmetal, Abu mimicking Aladdin's pose before jumping back onto his shoulder. Gunmetal watched him bound up to the counter before making his next move.

"Storybook: Initiate Scan."

A circle only visible to Gunmetal appeared before his eyes. It zoomed in on the pair sitting in the very back as it changed in size as an electric sound buzzed in his ears. Text began to transcribe itself across his metallic eyes.

"Huh," he breathed, "interesting."

Gunmetal grabbed his belongings and left the shop with one more glance at Aladdin's back. Smiling at him, Gunmetal's demeanor then hardened as he fled into the streets.

His speed was brisk. Gunmetal wove himself in and out of the human flow until the numbers of people began to slowly dwindle. He went on like this for quite a while, appearing on the outskirts of a deserted plaza overlooked by a massive bell tower. Twilight Town was known for these structures, a signature piece that dotted all the districts.

Having put himself far away from the public's eye, Gunmetal then turned to come face to face with the two people that never lost sight of him as he sped through town.

"You make lousy spies."

He threw his words at them, earning him a chuckle from the smaller of the two. By the slight curve of the body, Gunmetal made the correct assumption that it was a woman. She was dressed in a fitted black suit, and didn't appear to be wearing anything underneath her jacket. Quite revealing if a button became dislodged by accident. Her eyes were hidden by boxy sunglasses, which if removed would surely reveal a beautiful face.

"What can I say? I've never really been the one to play it safe. I'm much more comfortable being up front. But for the sake of my orders, I had to keep an eye on you."

"Orders, you say? Mind telling me who you are and who you're working for?"

The woman sporting brown hair pulled up into a slick ponytail gave a sigh. "Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to divulge any of that information."

"That is unfortunate. Well, as you can see, I'm rather late in keeping to a very important appointment. Is there any possibility of working this out in a mutual manner?"

"Oh dear, haha! I wish we could, but it seems like I don't have a choice. After all, seeing that my earlier attempt failed quite miserably, I'm under a bit of pressure here."

Gunmetal hid his mouth behind the rim of his coat. "The Behemoth."

She let out a strained giggle. "One of my strongest pets, yet we didn't factor that Snow Lullaby would be aboard the train."

The woman squirmed, her chest tightening as she parted her lips. "What a monster...that Hymn, just thinking about taming that power..."

Her breath grew ragged, a pink hue coloring her cheeks. "Makes my insides burn."

Gunmetal swallowed, still tasting the coffee he had earlier in the shop. "I'll ask again: who are you?"

She stepped over to the silent companion at her side, a tall man with shoulder length golden hair and in a similar black suit. With a flick of her wrist, a glowing rose appeared in her hand. Gunmetal watched as she plucked a petal from the pink rose. The man at her side suddenly threw his head back. Golden hair flailed as if carried by a gust of wind. Before his very eyes the man began morphing into a towering horned creature with massive claws and a salivating mouth. The suit he wore was shredded to bits, barely hanging onto his bulging muscles. The brunette woman grinned wide.

"Adam dear, please do mommy a favor and rip off his head."

The words had barely left her mouth when the beastly man came charging at him. Gunmetal waited until the very last moment, the second right before a massive claw came thundering onto him to react.

"Restructure."

A pink blade cleanly sliced the beast's arm off. Gunmetal stood about a yard past him. The action had been so quick the beast didn't realize what had just happened. But surely, a second ticked by and a howl rattled the plaza.

"Wh-what the hell kind of speed was that?" The woman spat taking a step back. "Haste? You're a former Dream Sketcher, your lot don't have the ability to cast magic!"

"Your lot?" Gunmetal uttered never forgetting about the man-turned-beast salivating in anger and pain right behind him. "Do you have something against Dream Sketchers?"

The beast swung at Gunmetal with his remaining arm, but was only able to catch empty air. Gunmetal had grown closer to the true agitator of this situation with a determined gaze to his eyes.

"I'll make this simple. Tell me who's giving you orders and I'll spare you."

"Don't underestimate me," she said through gritted teeth.

She plucked a handful of petals from the rose, earning them a renewed howl from the beast. Gunmetal looked at the creature and to his surprise, noticed that the arm he had disposed of was growing back. But instead of a furry claw, it seemed to be made of metal. Upon seeing it more accurately, it was as if thousands of clock gears had accumulated together.

"Adam, use Stop and Gravity!"

Gunmetal quickly shot forward as a circular beam of hazy purple hit the ground. The beast threw his gear arm at him, sending a torrent of Stop and Gravity spells in an effort to subdue him. But no matter how many spells he sent spiraling at him, Gunmetal was avoiding every one.

"Don't get so cocky!"

A shadow jolted from a nearby alley, ramming into Gunmetal's side before he could see it coming. The woman let out a laugh.

"Always make sure to plan for unexpected situations."

Gunmetal was more surprised than anything. The impact itself didn't hurt too badly since he had his sword acting as a barrier between the shadow and his body. Still, the force was enough to send him careening towards a far off wall.

"Restructure."

Using the split second between materializing, Gunmetal swerved his body and came back around and was now behind the shadow. But the beast had taken advantage of that moment to appear from above him with both claws tightly clenched into a massive fist. Throwing his arms upward, Gunmetal stopped his swing with a series of strings. He formed his pink bow into strings resembling the game Cat's Cradle. The beast was tangled in his web, but there wasn't anything childish about this game. Clenching his fingers together, Gunmetal tightened the strings so hard they effectively sliced through the beast's arm for the second time.

"Arrrrghaaaa!" He roared.

Gunmetal undid his materialization and sped past the beast towards the suited woman. Despite wearing boxy sunglasses, he could tell her expression was one of fury.

"How dare you!"

Gunmetal didn't stop, reforming his bow one last time. A pink dagger gripped tightly in his hand, he zoomed past the woman.

"What?!"

He stopped a short distance away. Gunmetal was looking at her with a steely expression. She bit her lip in frustration and was about to curse him out.

"Stop, it's over."

"What the hell are you talking about? I've still got-"

"This?"

Gunmetal held up something in his grip, something very familiar to her. It was a strange sight. It was her rose, the pink rose she used to control Adam, one of her beloved pets. But, what was holding that rose?"

Her hand.

A dark realization overcame her. It was then that the pain came. The pink dagger Gunmetal held was dripping with blood.

"YOU CUT MY HAND OFF!"

She fell to her knees as she looked to the newly created stump on her lower arm. Where her wrist should meet her hand, there was nothing there. Foaming at the mouth, she looked every bit the part of a crazed monster. If she was standing next to the very Behemoth he had fought against only two days ago, he'd have a hard time telling them apart.

"If you had done as I asked, this wouldn't have happened. I severed your hand cleanly off. There's still time to save it, but only if you answer my questions quickly."

"Screw you! All of you! You're all trash!"

"Again, what do you have against Dream Sketchers? No, more precisely, why did you target me?"

The woman had lost her sunglasses in her flailing and now bore angry coffee colored eyes at him. "Filthy, filthy, filthy! You're all filthy, disgusting whores! You're nothing but sluts selling yourselves to the rich! You line your pockets with so much money you don't know what to do with it! Such a rare gift, why were you blessed with such a divine power only to abuse it!"

Her words cut into him. Gunmetal could feel her hostility boiling off of her.

"Who gave you orders?"

She looked up at the eternal autumn skies, her mouth pulled into a smile.

"A time will come...soon...you'll see."

The shadow that had appeared from the alley and slammed into Gunmetal swept around the woman and in a flash, disappeared from the plaza. The beast she called Adam was gone as well. There was nothing but the staining of blood on the orange tiled ground left behind. Gunmetal was still holding onto the woman's severed hand, but the rose itself had crumbled away into dust.

"Storybook: Assimilate newly acquired sample."

The thick book dangling from his shoulder harness moved on its own, dislodging from its hold and opening. Gunmetal placed the severed hand onto a blank page and as if falling into water, disappeared into its depths. With a prompt snap, the Storybook shut itself tightly and nestled itself back in his harness.

"Fuchsia's power allowed my Storybook to evolve. But even with this augmented ability, it couldn't decipher their identity, the scan I performed earlier, it told me nothing."

The bell tower standing before him in the plaza resonated with a heavy gong. It continued for a dozen seconds or so, informing anyone that cared of what time it was. Gunmetal ran his fingers through his spiky hair.

"I'm late as it is," he said to himself.

Turning on his heel, Gunmetal returned to his original objective.

* * *

Belle sat with her back to the red wall of a secluded room. Sweat had caused her slick ponytail to become dislodged and now lay across her face in a disheveled state. She was nursing the bloodied stump where her left hand should be, bandages once white now soaked a deep crimson.

"It hurts..." she whined.

"You brought this on yourself, Belle. You're fortunate he didn't remove your head. But your lucky break also revealed a deep flaw."

She narrowed her eyes at the figure that stood off on the opposite wall. "What would that be?"

"He can't kill."

The woman cocked a brow at the figure. "Do you not see my current state? My fucking hand is gone!"

The voice gave a sigh. "You saw what he did to Adam. He cut his arm off, then did it a second time to both. If he could so easily do that, why not kill him? He's now a Lullaby, someone that shouldn't be able to hesitate in killing someone if it means protecting his client."

Belle's frustration wasn't eased, but she appeared to mellow out just a bit. "I felt it...his intent to kill, it was all there."

"But?" The figure replied, cocking its head.

She looked to the ceiling, understanding where this train of thought that was brought up was going in.

"It's not that he can't kill..."

The voice of the person opposite of Belle stepped forward, a heavy bag in his arms. He lifted a freshly baked piece of bread from inside and lifted it up to his lips. With a sigh, he bit into the buttery layers.

Aladdin swallowed the mouthful and narrowed his eyes with amused glee.

"...it's that he _won't_."

 **-0-**


	6. Sing

**A/N:** This chapter feels like a personal milestone. After 5 chapters, our heroes finally meet. Enjoy the chapter, please read and review. Bonus points to anyone familiar with a character mentioned in here without having to google.

* * *

 **Gunmetal Lullaby**

 **Chapter 6**

 **Sing**

* * *

He came to the beginnings of a thick forest. Even with the glow of twilight, Gunmetal couldn't see far into the thicket of trees. This was the gateway into the residential district belonging to the Fenrir family. Acting as a natural barrier, the forest was the last step before arriving at Riku's mansion. Gunmetal didn't know what to expect of the shadowy depths of the forest, but he understood very well why this would appeal to someone that wanted to maintain full privacy.

The one and only road that went through the forest had a metal gate closing it off with a small booth beside it. A lone guard sat manning the cubicle with a bored expression on his face. Gunmetal walked up to the booth and brought out a small black card.

"Good afternoon, I have been dispatched by The Cradle and am to meet with Riku Fenrir today."

The guard accepted the card and looked over the neatly typed writing.

"The Fenrir residence lies another two miles from this location, would you like us to produce a vehicle for your use?"

Gunmetal shook his head. "No, I will be fine walking there, thank you."

Handing the card back to Gunmetal, the guard hit a switch that caused the gate to shake. Slowly the metal barrier began to open up, revealing the dark grey of a manmade path. With a nod of his head in thanks, Gunmetal began his trek through the dense forest.

He was already running a bit behind schedule considering he had to deal with the mysterious woman and her beastly comrade. And even though he had been offered a car to get to the mansion, Gunmetal opted out just in case someone else made another attempt at his life. He didn't want to involve some poor driver for his sake.

A flurry of thoughts were running through his head. In the last few days, since he left The World that Never Was, so many things had happened that only added to his already growing pile of questions.

Why did Snow Lullaby warn him not to trust Riku? Who were the people that had attacked him not only with a monstrous Behemoth, but acted directly against him not even hours ago? It was all too calculated. Gunmetal couldn't help but feel like all these things that were popping up were somehow connected to his own past. No, he knew they were.

A year ago a rogue Lullaby attempted to take his life. And now, a mysterious group was after him. They had to be connected. Gunmetal continued on his way, the light of twilight barely peeking past the canopy of treetops.

Gunmetal had been walking for a few minutes when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He held a hand close to his ribbon, waiting for any further action from whatever it was that caught his attention. Sensing no hostility, Gunmetal turned in the direction of a nearby shrub. Studying it for a second, a small shadow came leaping out onto the pavement. Gunmetal was left with a smirk grasping his lips.

"Hey there," he said bending down. "What are you doing out here?"

A white puppy with a thousand different black spots dotting it's coat wagged its tail at Gunmetal. He held a finger out and was warmly greeted with the puppy's wet nose. Gunmetal smiled at the tiny creature.

"Are you lost? It's not safe being out in the forest on your own."

He noticed a red collar with a silver tag, so it was safe to assume the puppy belonged to someone. But with no nearby homes or people to speak of, Gunmetal had a suspicion the puppy must've come from the Fenrir residence.

"Want to come with me? Your owners are probably wondering where you ran off to. Come here..."

Without a fuss, the puppy allowed itself to be picked up. Gunmetal read the name on the silver tag, a very ornate one at that, and called out his name.

"Lucky."

"Arff!"

A cute bark was Gunmetal's response. The brunette had developed a somewhat stony expression over the past year, at least when it came to interacting with others that he didn't necessarily see eye to eye. The Tremaine sisters being the perfect example. But the sight of a puppy rendered him a grinning fool.

"Alright, will you lead the way then?"

Gunmetal transformed his pink bow into a leash and clamped it to Lucky's collar. Lucky began wagging his tail even more vigorously before scampering off. Gunmetal promptly followed after, if just a tad surprised by the sudden pull.

The newly created duo walked the remainder of the way together, the forest eventually thinning out until they came out into green pasture fields. And off in the distance, sure enough, was a massive mansion. Even from afar Gunmetal could see a series of pantheon style columns erected along the road. Lucky led Gunmetal along without seemingly a care in the world. They continued liked this until they arrived at a gate, and a large courtyard beyond it. Gunmetal's eyes immediately fell on the figure of a woman walking in his direction.

"Arff! Arff!"

Lucky pawed at the gate as if in anticipation of the newcomer. Gunmetal was eventually greeted by the woman in a maid's uniform and the gate slowly sliding open.

"Welcome, I am the head maid and chief of staff in attendance to the Fenrir residence. My name is Raine." She performed a small curtsy, the signs of a muted smile on her face.

"I am Gunmetal Lullaby, it's a pleasure," the brunette replied. "I apologize for my late arrival, there were some circumstances beyond my control that caused a delay in travel."

"No apology needed," she offered with a gesture of her hand, "we were informed by The Cradle you would be arriving later than usual after the train incident."

She knelt and patted the top of Lucky's head. "Madam Cruella has been besides herself when you ran off."

"He was quite the leader, I'm glad I was able to find him in the forest."

"Yes, thank you very much, he is one of Madam Cruella's children, as she likes to refer to them. She is the matron head of the Fenrir House."

Gunmetal worked the name over in his head. He researched whatever he could after learning he was to be assigned to Riku, but despite being of influential status, he didn't find anything substantial besides their names. Again, this didn't surprise him. After all, being a Dream Sketcher meant he was surrounded in a veil of secrecy himself.

"Riku-," she paused here and coughed, "pardon, Master Riku has been eager to meet you. Please, if you would follow me, I'll take you to one of the viewing rooms where he is waiting."

Gunmetal followed her through the large courtyard and into the foyer of the mansion. He was immediately met with a sense of familiarity. The arching staircases, the hanging chandeliers, the expensive original artwork that lined the halls. It was like looking at his own home, The Aviary, a place of equal standing to this mansion. Having his home reduced to a single room back in Cradle headquarters almost made him forget this particular sensation.

The head maid Raine led Gunmetal past room after room, until they were standing in a red carpeted hallway leading up to a set of gold lined doors. She stopped and gently raised her voice.

"Master Riku, our guest has arrived."

There was the sound of shuffling on the other side of the doors before a voice replied.

"Come in."

Raine took hold of the door handle and pushed it open, revealing a lavishly decorated room. A series of couches and tea tables lined the floor with draping curtains hanging from 10-foot glass windows. A hanging chandelier remained unlit as the streaming twilight that filtered in provided a warm glow that brightened the room. Raine extended her arm, motioning for Gunmetal to enter.

He breathed into the collar of his coat, and with Lucky still at his side, entered the room. Gunmetal allowed his eyes to wander, eventually landing on a desk on the northern wall. There, sitting in an armchair that practically swallowed his frame, was the silver haired man known as Riku Fenrir. With eyes of sea foam green, the Dream Sketcher Gunmetal would be serving greeted him.

"I've been anticipating this meeting," his voice carried, "thank you for making the long trip."

Gunmetal bowed his head. "Excuse my tardiness, I'm sure you were informed of the ordeal."

Riku was dressed in a long sleeve black shirt, the buttons undone and creating a billowy effect. His skin was the very definition of porcelain, white as the finest china. Gunmetal had seen pictures of him, but in person Riku's looks and presence were something else altogether. Riku was a handsome, stoic man. There was no questioning it, but something in his eyes showed a fragility that was the complete opposite of Gunmetal's. Their gazes locked on one another, simply studying the other.

"I see one of my mother's pets found its way to you," he mused placing a hand next to his face. "She's been in a foul mood all day."

His expression soured. Gunmetal took this as an immediate cue that he and Cruella, his mother, probably had a tumultuous relationship. Riku sighed and leaned back in his seat. "There is a lot we should talk about. I received the contract I worked out with The Cradle, but I have yet to agree with its terms."

Gunmetal had been assigned, but not necessarily employed. Whether or not he actually became Riku's Lullaby depended entirely on Riku's whims. When Gunmetal, as Sora the Dream Sketcher, had Emerald assigned to him, even she had a sort of trial basis. It was an interesting feeling being on the other side of the spectrum. Gunmetal needed to remember that nobody was serving him. His entire person would belong to the one that signed off on that contract.

"Yes, I would imagine there is."

"Most peculiar," Riku added, "is that your background is completely blacked out. I understand that an organization as large as The Cradle would have its secrets and whatnot, but the upbringing of a Lullaby is usually disclosed to their potential Dream Sketcher."

Gunmetal was not at all surprised that Riku would bring this tidbit up. Of course, Gunmetal knew exactly why his information was nowhere within the contract. Riku leafed through several of the pages and looked back up at Gunmetal.

"I'm not questioning your capability. I know for a fact The Cradle would never assign someone let alone give a guard the status of Lullaby if they didn't think they could do the job. I'm mostly...curious."

The fragility in Riku's eyes was replaced with a sheen of interest. He flicked a stray silver hair away from his face. "Gunmetal...could you tell me why you chose that as your code name?"

The brunette lifted his spiky bangs toward his forehead, revealing his own chrome tinged eyes. "A very simple answer, as you can see."

"Ah," Riku said, "very well. They're really an unusual color. Then again, I have no room to talk."

Riku placed a hand on top of the contract and drummed his fingers a few times. "Have you heard of someone by the name Florina?"

At the mention of the name the hair on the back of Gunmetal's neck stood up. "Florina? Yes, of course, she was a famous Dream Sketcher from long ago. I believe her title was..."

"...the Firefly Princess of Fluorite?" Riku finished for him. "Of course, how silly of me. Everyone knows her name. Florina is my many times great-grandmother. She was the last Dream Sketcher born into the Fenrir House. I am the first Dream Sketcher in this family in 300 years."

Gunmetal was honestly surprised. Florina, the Firefly Princess of Fluorite, was perhaps one of the most celebrated Dream Sketchers of all time. He wondered why Riku brought this up, but he was soon given an answer.

"It's kind of daunting," he said looking at the surface of his desk, "She's been gone for centuries, but her name still holds a lot of clout. As her descendant, I feel like I'm somehow going to be held to her standards. It's one of several reasons I didn't reveal my abilities until recently."

Riku had grown up as the youngest child of the Fenrir House. His siblings weren't fond of him and treated him like a joke. Riku didn't want to incur further scrutiny or have them grow jealous of him. He was already a target for them, Riku didn't want to stand out. This along with his ancestry only managed to scare him of being placed on some grand pedestal.

"If I may be so foreward," Gunmetal began, "what reason did you have to reveal your status? I can assure you there are Dream Sketchers out in the world that will never come out. They live in secret or have blended into society. If you are afraid of what others will see you as or of their expectations, then why not remain in the dark?"

A very honest and perfectly reasonable question. Riku looked out of one of the large windows, eyes settling on the skies. "I'm embarrassed to admit this, but it's because I fell in love."

Gunmetal felt a hot sensation in his chest. "Love?"

Riku nodded at the brunette. "Yes, I fell in love with someone. And that person ended up betraying my trust. So if I'm being completely honest with you, I came out not because I wanted to, but due to necessity. I would rather announce and reveal my status myself than to have someone else do it for me."

The silver haired man gripped the contract in his hands and held it up. "I am not completely on board with the idea of someone I'm entrusting my life to if they can't be honest and transparent with me."

At this point, Riku got up from his seat. He was considerably taller than Gunmetal, and even though he was the one to act as guardian, the difference in height caused him a momentarily lapse in thought. Riku came around the desk and leaned his body against it. A white pair of form fitting jeans covered his lower half.

"The delay in your arrival allowed me extra time to think things over, and so," he held the contract out to Gunmetal, his sea foam colored eyes slightly slanted. "I refuse your assignment."

Silence. Gunmetal could only hear his own breathing. He wasn't sure what emotion was coursing through him, but for some reason he wasn't angry. He had been rejected, yet he felt nothing. Gunmetal watched Riku holding the contract out, waiting for him to take it. He stepped closer and allowed the heavy document to fall into his hands. Riku had his sight veered to the side, as if he didn't want to even look at him.

"You will be compensated for your time and travel. The Cradle has been made aware of my decision. I'm sure they would have contacted you the minute I informed them, but I insisted they wait. I wanted to at least meet you."

"I see," Gunmetal managed, "well if that's the case, then I see no reason to continue this conversation. Thank you for your time."

Gunmetal released the leash he had on Lucky and immediately reformed it back to the pink bow that sat on his coat lapel. He gave a reserved nod of his head and was about to turn around when Riku called out.

"Hold on."

"Yes?"

"That bow, where did you get it?"

Gunmetal narrowed his gaze at the man who just refused his assignment. "With all due respect, that is none of your concern."

Riku was taken back. "I'm sorry? I'm serious here, where did you get that bow? This isn't a joke."

The air grew heated. Gunmetal didn't understand why Riku was losing his composure, but it was evident by the panicked expression taking hold of his face that it obviously meant something to Riku. Gunmetal wasn't about to reveal his cards without getting more information out of him. He quickly remembered that a certain Hymn had left a message for him not to trust Riku. Was this leading up to that reason why?

"What of it? Is there some importance to this bow?"

Riku's fingers were twitching. "That...erm...it's that...it reminded me of someone."

Riku allowed himself to breathe, his face one of embarrassment at having lost his composure. Gunmetal touched the bow with a hand, the soft fabric rustling against his skin. The last memento left by Aerith, Emerald Lullaby, had piqued Riku's interest and offered a potential clue.

"It belonged to a dear friend of mine. They're no longer here, so I value this more than anything," he said purposely leaving out a gender. "As a Lullaby, I have developed my abilities around it, using it as my main armament and protection."

"What sort of magic allows that?" Riku asked curiously, "I've read countless books, but I can't fathom a magic capable of that. Is it perhaps Mimic?"

Riku grew closer, the glow in his eyes now sparkling with curiosity. "Mimic is an ability though, but wait, it's considered Blue Magic, so yes, quite possible..."

Gunmetal found himself in a strange situation. Only moments ago he had been turned down on his assignment and was about to leave, but now Riku seemed fascinated with something as simple as a bow. Riku was older than him, that much he could tell. But what he was presented with was more of a perky child. Gunmetal felt a warmth relaxing his muscles.

"Would you care to see a demonstration?"

A smile took hold of Riku. "It would be a waste to not see what you're capable of. Very well, follow me."

Riku swept past Gunmetal, the sight of silver falling at his backside. He moved with such elegance Gunmetal felt like he was in the presence of some deity. That was how graceful Riku appeared to him. He walked a few feet behind Riku as he led them out of the mansion through the back of the building. They continued on past gardens and several gazebos sporting orange roses and wisteria vines. It wasn't until they were standing out in a grassy field quite aways from the mansion that Riku stopped.

"Is this sufficient space for you?"

"More than enough," Gunmetal replied unbuttoning his coat, "mind if I remove this?"

"Go right ahead," Riku answered crossing his arms and jutting his hip to the side. "Whenever you're ready."

"I have to warn you that I can't guarantee this field won't be left unharmed."

At this Riku's lips pulled into a smirk. "Is that so? Hmm, well, now my expectations are quite high."

It was a challenge. Gunmetal felt a fiery sensation enveloping his stomach. He hadn't been angry when Riku turned him down, but all of a sudden he wanted to show off. Part of him was thinking he needed to let Riku know just what he was capable of. Gunmetal wanted Riku's eyes to gloss over in regret. Removing the last button from its closed position, the gunmetal colored coat fell to the ground.

He felt Riku's gaze on him. Gunmetal wore a backless blue shirt, exposing the tan skin that lay over developed muscles. His front had a deep V cut, revealing more of that sunkissed flesh. Considering he had been living in a country of endless night for the past year it was odd he hadn't lost the color to his skin. Gunmetal held Emerald's bow in his hand, waiting for the passing of a breeze.

"Restructure."

Gunmetal breathed.

He performed a backflip that carried him high into the skies of twilight. Gunmetal then plummeted to the earth, digging his feet into the ground with a deep impact. He gouged out a crater, sending a shockwave in Riku's direction. The silver haired man felt his eyes grow wide, only to find Gunmetal in front of him with a massive pink square erected to ward off the very shockwave he had created. The force of it nearly buckled Riku over, but Gunmetal was maneuvering the wave away from him with ease.

The moment the tremor died, Gunmetal was already sending a series of pink spheres into the air. No less than a hundred of the globes whizzed upwards.

"Restructure," he stated, his back erupting with a pair of pink wings. He performed a pirouette, taking a moment to catch Riku's face. With a grin, Gunmetal launched himself into the air, carried by the pink wings he had created. He flew towards the spheres, all aligned in a sort of zig-zag pattern. Gunmetal sped up, gaining altitude until he was well past the spheres.

"Restructure."

The wings disappeared. He was freefalling, head pointed towards the ground. In his hand, a rapier. Gunmetal masterfully swerved his thin blade as it cleaved each pink sphere in half. He did this while falling, acting as if it wasn't any trouble at all. Gunmetal flipped over in front of Riku as he landed safely on his feet, his face then thrown upwards.

The severed pink spheres dissolved, becoming thousands of pointed needles. Riku watched in stupor as the skies gleamed with a dangerous pink glint. He felt his feet shifting, warning bells ringing in his ears. But Gunmetal wasn't going anywhere. Sure enough, the needle rain thundered down.

"Don't move a muscle," he spat out in Riku's direction.

Gunmetal spun his delicate rapier blade. Each needle that came at him was being deflected in every direction but their own. The ground was being littered with holes from where each needle was scoring the earth. Gunmetal's arm was like a blur, the only thing Riku could hear was the deafening sound of the blade blocking the pink arsenal with a metallic clink.

Riku had seen Gunmetal use his bow as a shield to stop the impact of the tremor he had produced, yet he didn't choose that in this situation. He could have easily made another shield to guard them from the shrapnel that rained. But no, Gunmetal took the most dangerous route he could. He opted to personally deflect _every single_ _needle_ away from him with the thinnest of blades. Riku could feel his heart threatening to break through his chest.

The needle rain finally stopped. Gunmetal brought his arm down, the pink rapier at his side. A thin layer of sweat had built up on his brow, and his breathing was labored. It was a truly spectacular presentation.

Riku didn't know what to say. He remained speechless as Gunmetal reformed the rapier back into its original bow form. All around them thousands of holes lay as evidence of Gunmetal's feat. This was what a Lullaby was capable of.

Gunmetal lifted the discarded coat and placed it over his shoulder. He wiped his forehead with his arm and began taking a step past Riku. Gunmetal gave him a demonstration and now that it was done he would be on his merry way.

"Wait."

The brunette looked over his shoulder. "Is there something else I can do for you?"

Riku was holding a hand to his shoulder, a redness to his face. Was he embarrassed?

"I...may have been too quick to dismiss you. Your abilities are impressive. I apologize for my attitude with you earlier."

Gunmetal leaned on an extended leg. "I came here with the full intent of using what you just saw for your sake. If anyone would dare cross you with malicious intent, I would cut them down. That is the reason I am a Lullaby."

His words caused a shift in the way Riku looked at him. Riku bit his bottom lip in struggling thought. "I understand we all have our secrets...perhaps we can work towards a day when you can tell me about them."

Riku Fenrir, Child of Glimmering Silver, raised a hand towards Gunmetal. He stood there with the gentle breeze at his side, and the words Gunmetal was meant to hear tumbled out of his mouth.

"Will you sing for me, Gunmetal Lullaby?"

 **-O-**


End file.
